Gateway to magic
by llothcat
Summary: Harry Potter/FMA. Edward Elric knew one thing for sure, and that was that he was bored in a dull world. And finds a chance to go home..at a price.. Complete.- awesome fan comic of this story can be viewed@ abigeruazerashi dot deviantart dot com
1. The useless class

A/N: Why the heck do I need a disclaimer? If I actually owned this stuff, would I be posting it here? Obviously, I'm a FAN, and thus own NOTHING. Other than this story, that is. And I certainly don't make money off of it. This is done purely for the fun of it.

* * *

The golden haired youth knew one thing for sure, and that was: He was bored.

Two more weeks of this. Just. Two more weeks and I can get back to the research, he thought as his golden eyes drooped.

His left hand held his head up on the desk, and, once again, the teacher droned on and on with the lesson on the board for the others forced to take the class. He himself had completed the course in minutes, shortly after he had had his sentence passed to him. The judge of this place gave him a choice: Summer school or juvenile hall. What choice was that, really?

He was beginning to think that the prison..Juvenile Hall..what was it with these weird names for the same thing?...would be just slightly more interesting. At least the last time he was a prisoner he had learned something new...namely, how to eat with his feet. He wasn't about to starve then just because his hands were chained to the wall. But that was a world away from here. This...utter...repetitive...dullness.

He glanced at those around him while the teacher's back was turned. They were a scruffy lot. Mostly the type he would call "street toughs".

Probably in here for the same reason as me. He thought.

Except, maybe the guy next to me. He looks too, well, neat.

The youth was tall. Had short dark hair brushed in a way for the bangs to cover a scar on his forehead. And he wore round eye-glasses. Green, sharp eyes. There was intelligence there, unlike with the "street toughs". He smirked.

Wonder what he did? He thought.

"Mr. Elric...?"

He blinked his eyes and quickly looked back to the teacher.

"Vha..?"

"Answer the question, please, Mr. Elric."

He carefully made his face blank, and raised his head slightly off his left hand. Trying to guess what the question was in the first place. He looked at the board behind the teacher...maybe that held a clue..?

Mercifully. The bell rang at that moment, and, instead, he got up to exit the class along with the rest of the group.

"Mr. Elric, and...Mr. Potter. Stay a few moments. I need to speak with you both."

He stopped walking a let out a sigh. Damn. He took the few steps back to his desk and flopped down into the chair, arms folded across his chest in irritation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Potter had remained seated.

Like he doesn't want to go in the first place.

Once the classroom was clear, the teacher crossed his arms and took a breath.

"You two. Remember you need my signature for you to get your records cleared, or it's juvenile hall. I expect you both to pay more attention in this class while it's in session. "

Ed took a breath. But before he could say a single word, the teacher continued.

"I know you've already completed all the assignments, Elric. It's the principle of..

"So. Vhat." Ed said. "This vhole thing is absolutely pointl..."

"You're in this class to get you to interact normally in society. Nor-mal-ly. THAT's the whole point of all of this."

Ed snorted and looked out the window.

"Vaste my time, vhy don't you." Ed said.

"Potter. You're his class partner, as of now. I expect you to make sure he participates more. From now until the end of the session."

The dark haired young man nodded and turned his green eyes to Ed's gold.

Great, Ed thought. Just what I need. Someone else who'll get hurt. Because of me.

Ed frowned and looked back out the window.

* * *

"Call me Harry."

Ed stood with his arms crossed over his chest, making Harry stand with his hand out for a few moments, unsure of what to do next. He eventually withdrew it, and placed it in his pocket almost sheepishly.

"Fine, Harry. Call me Ed."

Ed turned away and began walking, making Harry rush to catch up. To walk beside him rather than behind.

"Where you going? Aren't we..."

"I don't know vhere you're going, but as for me...I'm going to library."

"But..it's summer... You should.."

"Yeah, yeah."

Ed shot Harry a glare. His golden eyes like molten fire. Harry blinked, and nearly drew his wand. Remembering at the last moment that he was on Summer Break..And that magic was not allowed to be used by underaged wizards during this time.

This Ed. He was strange one. For a muggle. Almost wizard-like in that he didn't know how to act, well, "normal", and muggle-like. Always dressed in long sleeves and long pants, even in the heat. Gloves always on his hands. He even had long hair. Right now, it was pulled back in a braid, bangs an unruly mess. And those gold eyes. Harry had never seen gold eyes before. There was almost certainly something...

Ed stopped suddenly, which made Harry stop mid-step, and almost fall over. He looked over at what Ed was looking at. It was just a muggle woman. Blond. Brown eyes. Pretty. Carrying a bag of groceries. Harry looked at Ed's face and saw faint recognition there.

So...this guy IS human. Harry thought. This guy was pretty much as non interactive in the class as a person could get without becoming a..a piece of furnature or something.

"What? You..know her..?" Harry said.

Ed blinked and shook his head slightly.

"N-no. She..reminds me of somevone. " Ed said softly, sadness tinged his voice slightly.

"Then..maybe she's related to who you know..let's.."

"No!"

Ed suddenly continued walking, head down and both gloved hands in his pockets.

Huh. New in town, and yet he causes trouble enough to get stuck in that class right away. What a great start. Thought Harry.

At that thought, Harry sighed. He missed Hogwarts so much. He couldn't wait for school to be back in session. See his friends. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was where he felt truely at home, he knew. Not here, with the Dursleys, constantly walking on eggshells over the tiniest little things that may upset his non-magical blood relatives. Not that they liked him all that much anyway. He was usually the one that did the cleaning and cooking in the household, forced to most of the time really, as a way to make up for just existing.

Harry saw movement. Glancing up as Ed's head move back to look forward. Was he just looking at me? He thought. For three weeks, as far as he knew, the guy hadn't spoken at all to anyone in the class.  
"So. What'd you do to get a waste of a class like that?" Harry said.

He heard a snort.

"Punched out police officer. You?"

Harry widened his eyes.

"What..?!?"

He hadn't thought that this Ed was capable of that, and nearly stopped walking. The very idea of it...! Most of the time, whenever he glanced over at him in class, the guy had his nose in a thick book of one type or another. He seemed...as bookish as his friend Hermiome, which was really saying something.

Ed turned his head and smirked slightly at Harry.

"He started it. Called me short. Vhat of it?"

"A police officer. You just don't..!"

Ed waved dimissively with one gloved hand over his shoulder.

"Vhatever. I pay for it now. Equivalence, no?"

Equivalence?

Harry noticed then that he stood a good foot taller than the blond. He blinked. Ed flashed a toothy, and very evil looking grin at Harry. He's daring me, thought Harry. He wasn't sure just how old the blond was, but now...he wasn't sure if he wanted to ask. Once again, Harry found himself reaching for his wand. Ed's golden eyes quickly flicked to his hand, catching on to the movement, and he raised a single eyebrow. Then his face scrunched in confusion.

"That a...stick..?" Ed said.

Harry froze, not sure what to say. He supposed to a...muggle, a nonmagical person, a wand would indeed be just a stick.

Ed snorted a rough laugh, shook his head, and said something in a language Harry couldn't understand as he turned and resumed walking. Harry found himself following. In spite of himself, he joined the blond in the local library.

* * *

In the remaining weeks, it had become something of a habit. It helped that a note from the librarian kept the Dursleys at bay when he went home later than they liked. His relatives always liked to accuse him of the worst things imaginable. And the punishments, however creative, were something he'd rather avoid.

Today, it wasn't long before he heard the blond snort in contempt in the hush of the building. Harry was leaned back in a chair at the time. He had managed to find, of all things, "Hogwarts, A History", and was actually reading through it for once. He looked up at Ed as he came to the table, nose in very thick, dusty volume of something called "Advanced Theoretical Physics and Calculus: Theorms of Fractals".

"Vey off. Vey off. Vrong. Tch. Vat a load of crap.....Can't they even carry the 2 right..? Humph..." He heard Ed mutter to himself, along with words in a language he didn't recognise except is sounded much like what Ed had uttered before when irritated. They had but a few days left of the class.  
Ed looked over at Harry, and raised his eyebrows. Harry looked back.

"Found good book, ya? "

Harry thought quickly, knowing the book was forbidden to be seen by muggles. He smiled.

"Just for fun. Light reading you might say."

"Me, too. You have paper? I vant to vork on fixing this...uber crap."

Harry raised his eyebrows but provided the paper from his bag. He had that much from the Dursleys at least.

"...thank you." Ed said.

Harry nodded slightly. That was indeed a rare thing to for him to hear from Edward. If there was one thing he learned about the guy, it was that he had all the manners of an angry bull. Most of the time.

Harry watched as the pages of the notebook slowly filled up with Ed's lefthanded, barely legible, yet neat, scrawl. He was facinated and bored with watching the process at the same time. He vaguely remembered the spelled pens that wrote by themselves in the Hogwarts offices. How very different it was here.

"So. Class partner. You never told me. Vhat did you do to get that useless class?" Ed said with his head tilted down over his work.

Harry blinked. That was true. He'd forgotten. His answer at that moment was a quite intelligent.

"Uh...."

Ed stopped writing a moment, and looked up.

"Equivalent trade. I told you my own stupidity..."

Harry grimmaced, and looked away. By the corner of his eye, he saw Ed lean back into the chair and fold his arms across his chest. Work forgotten for now.

"I..should be going...it's late. " Harry said.

He saw Ed nod a slight nod. And then turn back to writing in the notebook.

"Don't forget the note from the librarian... " Ed said.

Harry nodded, seeing the slight smirk on Ed's face. Then got up to leave. He hesitated by the door.

He hoped Ed wasn't too hurt. It just...wasn't something he really wanted to talk about. And really shouldn't, either. Ed was a muggle. How could he even begin to understand the volitility of magic when anger and rage were involved? That's all he felt when he thought of his Uncle, Aunt, and spoiled rotten cousin.

Why was he even thinking this? He just met the guy a couple of weeks ago! It wasn't as if they were friends, close or otherwise, now were they? They were assigned to be class partners, for crying out loud....That's all.

Harry sighed. And then he went out into the night.

* * *

Ed watched as Harry's shoulders tensed up ahead of him, and noting that they were getting tenser with every step he took up the street.

The houses along this place looked nice and neat. Nearly every one of them had a car. (Facinating contraptions, but so very very different than those he was used to seeing.) Some were lighter and smaller. Others...well, they looked so heavy, they may as well have been tanks. They made good things to hide behind, though. Along with the manicured bushes and other foliage and whatnot. Especially in the dark. The only thing he had to do was avoid the artificial lights that were all around, which made following the boy somewhat more of a challenge that it otherwise would have been.

No problem. Ed thought.

Of course, sneaking like this was greatly helped by the fact that the street was relatively deserted at this time. And that this Harry kid seemed to have no situational awareness. What. So ever.

Harry finally arrived at a door, and Ed crouched down low behind a handy, manicured bush. The porch was dark. After a moment's hesitation, Harry reached for the doorknob and turned it. The door opened with small creak. Harry entered and closed the door softly behind him. The lights inside blinked on.

It won't be long, now. Any moment. Ed thought.

He took out his silver pocket watch from his pocket and flipped it open. 8 o' clock.

Ed had watched as Harry walked for hours after he left the library. Walking aimlessly. Ed closed his watch with a snap and replaced it into his pocket. He settled back into a more comfortable crouch, waiting for the inevitable. This wouldn't be the first time he'd overhear it, and it caused him deep concern. How Harry had reacted to his question in the library only confirmed what he had suspected the second day Harry joined him at the library.  
This...really doesn't concern me. Ed thought, not for the first time. Then sighed as the yelling began.

"I DON'T CARE WHATCHA SAY!! THERE'S NO WAY YOU WERE AT THE LIBRARY ALL THIS TIME!!!!"

He winced a little as he heard the first blow land, audible, even from this distance. Must be a face slap. Ed stood up and brushed himself off lightly. He approached the door, and knocked.

"YOU HOOLIGAN!! YOU HAD TO BE ROBBING...!!"

The man who opened it was red in the face with anger. Slightly balding with most of the hair clinging to the sides of his head, wearing a shirt called a "wife beater", suspenders, and some long pants that barely contained a generous belly.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?" He yelled.

Ed clenched his fists at his sides, and gave the man his most intimitating stare. Never wavering his golden eyes.

The man blinked. And took a step back.

"Hello." Ed said, voice low and calm. "I vas vondering if Harry vas here."

The man stuttered, and pointed at Ed's chest.

"Y-y-you're onna..t-them...? A-aren cha..?" The man said.

"Vhat are you talking about?"

Before his eyes, the man began to shake. The man quickly looked left and then right, fear clearly on his face.

Ed was perfectly aware that there was no one else out in the night with him. Well, except maybe a few cats, the odd owl, stray dog or even...rat. He didn't even feel the presence of..well those weren't here anyway, now were they? In short, Ed's concern for Harry skyrocketed at that moment, and he knew for certain that he was in the right. Especially when the man eyed him once more, and clearly said.

"Who're you, boy?"

BOY!!!??? Ed felt a vein pop out on his temple, but he bit back the anger. Now was not the time to indulge, so he blinked a slow blink instead. With much effort, he willed his temper down. Taking a deep steadying breath first, he began.

"My name is Edvard Elric. Your son Harry's..."

"He's not my son. He's my nephew-in-law." The man snapped.

"Fine. I'm his study partner this summer. Is he here?"

"Study partner..? What?"

The man blinked in confusion.

Ed heard Harry's voice within. Angry, hurt, tense.

"I'm in summer school, Uncle Vernon...Remember? You signed.."

The man blinked again.

"Summer...school? For that weir.."

"M..NORMAL summer school." Harry spoke softly, almost bitterly.

The man smiled brightly at Ed suddenly. Eyes wide and..friendly, even. Ed blinked as he was slapped on the shoulder and pulled inside.

"Well...! That changes things! Petunia! Dudley! We have a guest!"

* * *

If there was a picture that went with the definition, Ed looked "bewildered" to Harry. At least his eyes did. The rest of his face held a smile as the Durlseys introduced themselves and nearly forced him to sit on the overstuffed couch. Harry himself tried to disappear, slowly creeping up the stairs..before..

"Harry! Lazy brat! Get the refreshments out! It's not everyday that you have a normal friend over."

Harry sighed, and caught Ed's quick glimpse at him before he turned back to the very much over-plump Durleys.

"Yes Uncle Vernon"

"Sir, Brat. Don't forget sir."

"Yes Uncle Vernon. Sir."

Harry then decended the stairs and entered the kitchen, and soon had a tray laden with all sorts of munchies. Along with four cups. He knew better than to include himself in there, so five was out of the question. He carried it out carefully, trying to decide on the drink.

"Zhere's..vreally no neet to go trew zhis muk truwble. I jeest.." Ed began, accent punctuating his discomfort.

"Nonsense! Eat up!" Uncle Vernon announced jovially.

"Your english is very good. But that accent...Is it German?" Aunt Petunia asked as she grabbed one of the small sandwiches.

"Um..No. Yes...um.." Ed stumbled as he reached for something on the tray. Before he could land a finger, Dudley snached it from beneath his gloved hand.

"Where you from?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"It za...verzy zmall kontree. You probzably haveznot heardz of zit." Ed said, leaning back on the couch and smiling politely at Uncle Vernon.

That began a discussion, utterly loud, annoying to Harry's ears, and certainly uninformed if he knew the Dursleys, regarding world geography and politics. The three Dursleys happily arguing with one another. Harry tuned it out as he took his normal seat in the darkened corner, as far away from the Dursleys as he could possibly get. Ed's face was unreadable, and he added little to the conversation, except the occasional nod, "Oh", or "Uh-huh." His mouth busy...slowly chewing the one morsel from the tray of goodies he managed to grab...a piece of celery. Harry watched him nibble it for well over an hour, golden eyes darting from one speaker to the next.

Harry absently rubbed the slap on his cheek with his hand...it still stung...and looked out to the kitchen. That is when he hit on a grand idea.

"Uncle Vernon..?" Harry began.

"Shut up brat, we're talking here. Go to the kitchen or something..." Uncle Vernon said.

"But Uncle..I promised Uncle Sirius I'd write him today, and I'm almost out of time...He'll be so...disappointed that..." Harry said.

It certainly wasn't magic, but it worked. The room fell silent as all the Dursleys looked over at him with shock and fear plastered on their faces. Ed blinked his golden eyes and looked at their reactions, eyebrows raised. Harry was surprised when he added...

"Ve...alzo neet to zudie. Zere zat test tomorrow."

The Dursleys moved fairly quickly after that, clearing the room. Harry saw Ed let out a breath and glance at him when he reached for the now empty tray.  
"No. I'll get that." Ed said, picking up the tray and heading for the kitchen.

"But...!" Harry said.

"Equivalence." Ed called over his shoulder. Harry soon heard the sound of water running in the sink.

Then he heard a tapping at the window. He looked over, and saw an owl.

"Bloody well time." Harry said under his breath.


	2. Of dementors and porcelin gods

Harry managed to get the owl out the window before the water turned off in the kitchen, and walked back to his chair with the note open in his hands. He frowned. It was just the usual supply list for the year from Hogwarts, and not a note from Hermonie or Ron.

Nothing all summer, he thought. There's only a week or two left. What gives?

The door to the kitchen swung open, so he quickly folded the note up, placing it in his pants pocket before Ed could see him fully. Harry knew he'd have some difficulty explaining where the note had come from. Dealing with his relatives were hard enough without adding anything else to his plate.

He watched Ed as the blond looked around, then settled his eyes on him.

"They gonna be gone for a bit?" Ed asked softly.

Harry nodded his head, and even smiled.

"Good. Vant something to eat vhile I'm in here? I'm starved, myself. Your..family..."

Harry chuckled.

"Sure."

Ed smiled widely before returning to the kitchen, soon emerging with a tray of goodies. He then sat on the couch.

"Is there...really a test tomorrow..?" Harry asked after swallowing a mouthful.

"No. I believe your..uncle...vouldn't know it even if there vas. I've..known the type before. " Ed said, while chewing on a sandwich.

"Then why.."

Ed stopped chewing, then swallowed. His golden eyes seemed to burn into Harry's skull.

"I..vas. Concerned."

Harry blinked.

"I heardz him slap you. Zat is never a good ting."

Ed looked down quickly and reached into his coat. He pulled out a notebook, and handed it to Harry.

"Anyvay. This should cover my debt to you."

"Huh?"

"Equivalence."

"You're...a funny guy." Harry said as he quickly flipped through the blank pages, half expecting a spell to suck him in. He decided it was what it appeared to be...just a blank notebook, likely bought just around the corner.

Ed snorted. He finished his sandwich, and then headed to the door.

"Uh...Wait..! You don't have to..."

Ed looked over his shoulder, then his head tilted down.

"I..shouldn't have come here. It vas vrong vithout asking you first."

"That's..alright, I guess. How did...?"

Ed chuckled, glanced back with smile somewhere between a smirk and a frown.

"See you tomorrow, klass partner."

With that Ed turned the knob and stepped out into the night. It was only then that Harry realised the time. It was very late indeed.

* * *

Harry sat on a swing in the local playground. He wasn't really doing much of anything, just enjoying the warm summer afternoon, and watching as the last of the children were gathered by their mothers and fathers.

I wish I knew what that was like. He thought idly. I suppose a real family's...

He spotted his portly cousin, in "Big D" mode, marching towards him with his two big goons flanking him closely. Harry sighed.

Here we go again. Harry thought, lowering his hands to his knees. Closer to his wand, should he need it.

Dudley Dursley stopped right in front of him, with his arms crossed. Beady eyes glowering. His goons followed his lead and did the same.

"Find any more ten year olds to pick on, Big D?" Harry said.

Dudley grunted.

This wasn't going to be a pleasant confrontation, Harry knew. It never was. Dudley was twice as nasty without adults around.

His wand was at Dudleys neck before he realised it, about the time Dudley predictably mocked his parents. Oh how Harry hated that. Then something changed in the very air. The warm summer...was suddenly very cold.

Dudley's beady eyes widened.

"What did you do? " Dudley whispered.

"N-nothing. I swear!"

Both Harry and Dudley looked up, and beheld the swirling malestrom of clouds above them. Harry's mouth fell open, and he felt his arms and legs trembling. He glanced quickly to his cousin, and his cousin met his own eyes. Neither would admit it to the other, but both were shaken to the core. Only Harry knew what it meant, and knew worse was to come.

"Run for it!" Harry yelled. He heard his voice crack, and winced inwardly at the absurd sound. But it didn't matter. They were in trouble. Big trouble. And the only safe place was over the hill. Back at the house.

* * *

Ed was laying in the long grass, with his right hand held over his head. The day was quite warm, but he still had on long sleeves and gloves. At the moment, he looked through his fingers at the sun. It was a rare moment for him, and he took it mostly to clear his head of frustration.

Just...in the right place...He thought idly, and smiled a smile halfway between a smirk and a frown. Between one moment, and the next, the sun was just...gone. He lowered his hand and saw a great swirling mass of clouds.

That was...quick. Ed thought, and narrowed his eyes. He soon sat up and watched as the massive clouds...moved. The grass around him crinkled, and he felt a dull ache in his right shoulder and left thigh. He glanced down and saw the the blades around him were icing over, like in a winter frost. Part of his mind..the detached scientist in him, cooly analysed the entire process as it happened before his eyes, and several possible equations to do the same thing occurred to him.

'If only.....', he thought.

Then he quickly stood up and stamped his feet, golden eyes lifted to the approaching ominous cloud formation.

'That feels...No. Can't be. They're not here.' Ed thought. 'And they can't DO that...'

In the distance, he saw two people running..almost too quickly, down a steep path on the hill.

'Almost like their lives depended on it', he thought.

It wasn't long before he recognised who they were. And the fact that they were headed right for him.

"Don't just stand there!!! Run!!!" Harry yelled breathlessly.

"From vhat?!?" Ed yelled back.

"Just!! Go!!" Dudley added, which earned him a sharp look from Harry.

It wasn't long before the three of them found themselves breathless in a tunnel, and every battle instinct Ed had was ringing in alarm.

"Not good.." Ed muttered, and crouched into a fight stance, ignoring his fatigue from the mad dash. He slowly turned about. He heard the other two boys as they swore under their breaths. The artificial lights began to flicker and fail all around. It was getting increasingly harder to see anything coming in the darkness. And the cold...no frozen air bit at his shoulder and leg ports, making moving a battle against increasing aches.

He heard her just then. The bubbling, labored breathing. He froze his movements, nearly lost his focus. He turned again, looking. Harry was next to him..backpedaling. Dudley...on the ground on the far side of the tunnel. Then he wasn't. Instead of the portly Dursley, he saw a ruined mass of flesh, reaching for him. Beneath it, was a familiar design chalked into the concrete. It was his.

"No." Ed whispered, and he broke his stance. Arms falling limp at his sides. His knees buckled, but didn't land on the unforgiving concrete.

Iciness increased at his throat, and he couldn't breathe. He couldn't tear his eyes off that thing. His creation. His sin. It reached out to him.

'Why couldn't you make me right?!?' It wailed in his ears.

He spotted a set of clothes nearby, just outside the circle. His eyes welled with tears.

"Alphonse...!?"

Suddenly, the scene changed. Becoming the inky darkness of the opened gate. Summoned by his collossal mistake, he knew. Alphonse, blond haired, golden eyed, his only brother, was dragged before him. Millions of tiny black hands wrapped around his boyish body...pulling him into the gateway forever away. Payment for an unequal equation and a foolish dream.

"My fault....all of it. My...fault..." He heard himself say.

He reached out with both hands on impulse to stop them...pull them off..something!...knowing there was nothing he could do....Alphonse, again, slipped through his fingers like...Solid. His left hand brushed upon something solid, and frozen. Just for a brief moment. The scientist part of his mind told him the angle of the ghost like grip, and it cooly calculated the pressure as well. Leading him to one conclusion. Whatever it was, it had him by the neck.

He would say "insane gut instinct", beat into him from childhood...kicked in. Long habit did the rest.

He slapped his palms together.

* * *

Harry watched with horror as the two shadowy things entered the hall. Eight feet tall, and cloaked in darkness. Unmistakable to him.

'Dementors! What were they doing here?!?' He thought.

One tackled Dudley, and predictably, Dudley fell down bonelessly. He turned over, perhaps to get up, but the Dementor hovered over him. All color drained from his cousin's face, and he turned his head to Harry. Harry watched with horror, certain that the Dementor would..kiss his cousin. He hated Dudley...mostly...but no one deserved that fate.

A dark cloaked thing blocked the view of his cousin before he could so much as wave his wand. Harry felt its fingers wrapped around his throat. That was when he saw the flash of gold, and glanced next to him. Ed. The Dementor had Ed by the throat as well. At the moment, the hideous blind thing seemed more interested in the blond muggle than himself.

And I thought...Dementors liked me, Harry thought.

The Dementor turned his head towards Harry. Then, almost reluctantly, turned back to Ed. Harry had a good view of the gaping, rotting hole that passed as the thing's mouth. It easily lifted both of them up off the ground, one for each hand, and Harry couldn't help but kick. He connected with nothing but shadows.

He saw Ed reach out, blindly, with both his gloved hands. One hand brushed against the Dementor's shoulder, then went through it. The next motion was a blur. Harry heard a distinctive, cutting sound, and then there was this..blinding flash of blue light. Harry felt himself impact hard against the tunnel wall, and he grabbed his wand firmly in his hand when his feet hit the ground. He caught his balance just in time. The Dementor that had him was just across from him now, as if it too, had struck the wall.

No time to think about it. Harry forced himself to focus, searching hard for his happiest memory. He raised his wand.

"Expecto Patronus!!!"

White light emerged from the tip of his wand. Then the Dementor was gone, vanishing through the wall. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't his strongest manefestation, but it worked.

Harry turned to his cousin, and saw that the Dementor was still on him. With a flick of his wand, the glowing, amorphous patronous charm collided with the thing of darkness. The lights of the tunnel flickered back on. Harry heard his own breathing. No. He was panting.

'It's over. Thank god.' He thought.

He walked over to Dudley. As he helped his cousin sit up, he blinked.

"Bloody hell. Ed!" Harry said as he looked around. Yards away, he saw a familiar figure stooping over the blond in question. Hair in curlers, tied down with a handkercheif. A simple housedress and coat. She looked up at him with concern in her dark eyes.

Mrs. Figg, his mind told him.

"You better run. They'll be back." she said.

"How is he?" Harry asked, as he practically dragged his cousin to his feet.

"He hit the ground pretty hard. He's coming around now." She said

As if to illustrate the point, Harry heard Ed's voice, speaking his strange language. Harry watched as the blond pushed himself up, painfully, to his hands and knees. He saw something metal flash in the light. Harry blinked. Was that a..hidden knife attached to his wrist?

"Would you...have some chocolate on you?" She asked.

"Vas...?"

Ed lifted his head and looked over at Harry and Dudley. Then his head snapped around, looking about the tunnel. Ed closed his eyes quickly, panting, and his pale face became a shade green. He collapsed down to his elbows, and heaved. Harry heard something wet hit the concrete, and decided he definitely wasn't curious enough to look at what came up from his classmate's stomach.

Mrs. Figg rubbed Ed's upper back, until the heaving stopped. She then firmly grabbed Ed's left arm and helped him to stand on wobbly legs. She shot Harry a sharp look.

"What are you waiting for?! Go!" She hissed, so much like the cats she lived with, it was almost as scary as being with a Dementor.

* * *

They entered the Dursley's house without much incident. Ed remained quiet the entire way, much like Dudley. The woman who held him up kept talking in a low voice, but Ed's mind refused to focus, turning instead to vicious circles of guilt.

At the moment, there wasn't much he could do. His strength seemed to be just gone. And the aches in his ports made him limp, though his pride refused to let much of that show. The woman in curlers walked him to the couch. He looked up and saw the faces of the Durlseys, and they looked first at him, then to Harry. Nausea rose from within, and he covered his mouth with his left gloved hand, careful to keep his right in his coat pocket.

"Oh dear. Bathroom! Petunia, dear!?" Mrs. Figg said.

They made it just in time, and Ed hung his head gratefully before the porcellin god. He looked up and saw the two women hovering over him, as though he were some sort of fragile creature. He blinked at them stupidly.

"Damn that Harry. You're in as bad a shape as Dudley. We should take you to the hospital." Mrs. Dursley said.

"Petunia, lets give the boy some room." Mrs. Figg said.

Ed didn't so much as twitch at that word. Somewhere his mind was still offended, but the battle with his stomach interferred before it could rise to the occasion. He hurled again, coughing dry heaves into the water before him.

Once the Dursley woman was shooed back to the livingroom, Mrs. Figg gingerly crouched down before Ed. He rested the side of his face against the cool surface of the bowl, and watched her. She reached for his right hand, still in the coat pocket, but he moved it away from her before she could touch it.

Mrs. Figg sighed.

"It's alright. I told you. I'm a squib. You don't have to keep it from me." She whispered.

Ed blinked.

"Vhat's a squib?" He managed to croak out before another wave of nausea hit. When he turned back to the woman, she was looking at him sharply.

"You mean...you didn't..?" She whispered, then blinked. She looked over her shoulder quickly, then back to him. She got back to her feet, and before he could react, (not that he wanted to at that moment anyway), she backed out of the bathroom, and closed the bathroom door. Ed closed his eyes and focused on just breathing. The side of the cool bowl making the throbbing headache a little easier to bear.

Easier that is, until the Dursleys began yelling at Harry. At least he thought it was them. Something about being kicked out of a school. For underage something or other. He didn't think people could yell that loud or for quite that long.

While I'm down here, may as well look. He thought.

He took his right hand out of his pocket, resting it on his right thigh. With some effort, and a considerable amount of will to control his stomach, he sat up. It didn't last long, and soon he was slumped against the nearby wall. He looked at his right hand. The automail was now completely exposed. Glove cut clean through, and just gone. He blinked. A short blade barely reached his knuckles. He pushed up his right sleeve a short way.

'Those marks...unmistakable. The equation worked. Guard plate was transmuted.' He thought.

"But why...? How...?" He asked softly to no one. Then he snorted and held up his forearm to look at it some more.

'Not my best work', he thought. Eying it critically.

"Wonderful. First successful transmutation on the other side of the gate. Now I've just got to change it back." He whispered.

He reached up and grabbed a towel from the towel rack, and stuffed it to the crack below door. Satisfied no reaction light could be seen, he sat back, and took a steadying breath. The yelling continued in the livingroom, so he was certain he wouldn't be disturbed for the time being.

'If this works...one step closer to home', he thought.

Without further hesitation, he clapped his hands. He pictured the equation, beautiful in his minds eye, and he felt the warmth of the energy as it ran down his arms, then circulating throughout his body. The blue archs shined before him from his hands, and the blade on his right arm retracted to it's original position. He smiled as smile somewhere between a smirk and a frown.

A smile that disappeared, as, once again, he found himself clutched to the porcelin bowl and heaving.

* * *

The Dursleys had left with Dudley a few hours ago, and Harry found himself fuming, pacing his room. His snow white owl, Hedgewick chirping in alarm at his agitation in her cage.

'Expelled!!?' Harry thought. 'What am I gonna do now?!?'

He threw himself onto his bed with a boneless flop, and turned over to regard the ceiling.

'As if it could tell me what to do', he thought as he listened to the sounds of the empty house.

It had to be a dream. The green light flashing before him as it struck his friend. He reached out, but knew it was too late. And the Dark Lord, Voldemort laughing at him, in triumph, as his..twisted, snakelike body took shape before his eyes. He knew he awoke with a start, but he laid there in the bed, just breathing.

There it was. The clinking sound. And again. Harry raised his head and looked at his door. He focused his eyes in the dim moonlight on the key. Against all logic, it was turning. By itself.

Harry reached for his wand on his bedstand, hand shaking slightly.

The key popped out of the lock, and the door swung wide with a burst of light.

"I can't believe these muggles..!" a woman's voice whispered loudly.

"Tonks! for god's sakes" Called a man.

As the wand tip lit the room, Harry saw that it was a woman who held it aloft. Standing next to the woman, was someone Harry recognised.

"Professor Moody! What are you doing here?!?" Harry said.

"Rescuing you, boy! What do you think?"

* * *

Ed awoke with a start and realized it was a real bad idea to be awake. The pounding in his head urged him to go back into unconsciousness. In spite of this, he cracked open his eyes and discovered he could barely see anything. And what he was laying on was definitely cold, and very, very hard. He blinked. Then lifted his head.

'Are those...voices?' He thought.

Ed looked around him.

'Where am I?' He thought.

He placed his right hand down to push himself up, but slipped. His head struck the wall with a crash he was sure was heard thoughout the house. Sure enough, he heard...

"What's that?"

It was a voice he didn't recognise, in a loud whisper.

Ed hissed and swore inwardly at his automail, wishing Winry had put some sort of non-slip treatment on his artificial limbs.

'Well..not like my headache could get any worse anyway', he thought, and he got to his hands and knees. 'No nausea this time, good.' he noted. And then climbed to his feet. He looked around him, smirking at his own stupidity.

'A bathroom...of course. I never left.' he thought, left gloved hand rubbing the back of his head. He vaguely remembered the knock on the door, and his refusal of the offer by Mrs Dursley to go to the hospital.

Ed reached for the doorknob, turned it and pulled, but the door seemed to be stuck closed. He shook it. Still nothing. He blinked, and placed his left hand on the door. Closed his eyes and focused. Looking inwardly at the structure beneath his hand.

"Someone doesn't want me out." He muttered softly, then smiled, and removed his hand. Options running through his head.

'Half-assed job...means a low class alchemist. This is almost insulting.' He thought. He leaned his ear against the door. 'How many people?'

He heard a rough voice right by the door just then.

"Looks like the muggle shrimp's awake."

A vein popped out of Ed's temple, and he punched right through the door with his right hand.

"VHO'RE YOU CALLING A RICE GRAIN BEAN AN AMOEBA VOULD OVERLOOK CAUSE ITS TOO SMALL TO SEE?!?"


	3. the unbreakable spell

"Stupify!"

Ed heard and felt the impact of something strike his right arm. He growled in irritation and pulled back his fist from the door. There were a number of surprised gasps down the hall, and he heard the sound of a body hitting the ground. Through the roughly face sized hole his fist left behind, Ed saw a number of faces, none of which he recognised.

'Light source is strange.' He thought as he looked for it. Then he blinked. The tips of several sticks were glowing, held aloft by a few in the hallway.

"Fool. That arm's artificial. What'd you think would happen?" A rough low voice called.

'Same one that called me a shrimp' Ed noted, and scowled at the thought.

"Vhat's vith the sticks?" Ed said.

Everyone in his sight stiffened at that question, then his limited view of the hall was blocked by the single face that regarded him through the hole in the door. There were scars all over that face, and Ed noted that part of the nose was missing. The eyes were mismatched..one dark and bright with intelligence, the other dull and blue, likely as artificial as his own two limbs. The blue orb spun about as he watched, moving independently of the the other. It was a disturbing sight to see, even for him. The face scowled in concentration as the man it belonged to pointed one end of a stick right at him. Or rather, at his left side.

Ed felt it in his chest. The hush...nearly like the calm before a storm, or the moment an array activated. Then..He was in motion. He dove forward and to his left, just inside arcing blast of glowing energy. He struck the wall with very loud thumps and swore aloud at all the aches in his ports and head.

'Weapons. They're weapons.' was all he could think in the second he knew had before the stick's end caught up to his movements. Ed rolled to his back, and leaned it flush against the door.

"Moody..you alright?"

There was a snort.

"Just glanced me. He's...dodged it."

Ed pushed up with his legs, and looked out the hole with his head never leaving contact with the door.

Four that way.

He dropped and quickly did the same for the other side. Or rather tried to.

Shit. Too dark. Can't tell.

He dropped again.

Three, maybe four in the middle with me. Counting Scarface.

Ed closed his eyes, and breathed a deep steadying breath. Mind focused on the image of the basic array, and he adjusted it with an equation for his need at the moment. Nothing really fancy. Then, he clapped his hands, smirking at the distinctive, familiar, cutting sound his mismatched hands always made. He then slammed his hands to the ground before him, letting the warmth of the energy circulate through. He heard gasps of surprise and even panic as the great resounding boom and blue archs of the reaction occurred in the hall.

Once he raised his hands from the ground, he heard Scarface yell. Furious by the tone. The volume was significantly muffled by the transmutation he had made on the door, which now, not only had no hole, but was flush with the wall and floor. As if there was never a door there at all.

"Idiot! You were supposed to check him for a wand!!!"

"I did!!! He didn't have one!! I swear!!!"

Should hold for a bit, Ed thought and he rushed to the window above the bathtub. It was high up on the wall, slightly above his shoulders. He opened it, and hopped up. Then a wave of dizziness and nausea hit him, just as he scooched on his stomach.

"Not. Now." Ed breathed, biting back the bile in the back of his throat. He squinted his eyes and willed it down. It worked for the time being.

Squeezing through the narrow opening, Ed noted he wouldn't have fit if he were...bigger. That thought really annoyed him, and yet he found he was thankful. He looked below him and saw there some trash bins. The lids were down.

'Hope that means they're full. On second thought....' Ed thought.

Ed firmly gripped the window ledge and flipped himself over. He landed with an ungraceful flop. The noise of the crash echoing into the night. The racket certainly roused at least three neighorhood dogs. They barked and howled furiously as he gingerly picked himself up out of the wreckage. He gave himself a quick once over for cuts. He saw none in the meager light.

'Definitely. Not my best.' He thought.

His stomach once again let him know of its presence, and he grimaced as he leaned his shoulder heavily against the wall. He looked around him and spotted no one.

'Doesn't mean they're not there, though.' He thought, 'considering how crappy I am right now, it'd be just my luck, too.'

Wrapping his left arm around his middle, he crouched down and quietly trudged in the general direction he figured the street was. Head pounding twice for every heartbeat. He chose to ignore the aches in his ports, figuring they'd go away soon enough as he moved more.

'Harry..is he still here?' He thought.

He remembered that Harry was trying to escape up the stairs when he first visited this house. It was on this side too, come to think of it. Ed looked up. Sure enough, there was a window up there. Huge dramatic shadows against the glass. Faint light, like a someone using a hand held source.

The skin at his neck stung him with a burning sensation, and he rubbed at it absently with his gloved left hand.

* * *

Harry leaned over his pile of books, picking out the ones he wanted to take with him, and tossing aside the ones he didn't. He wasn't alone in the room. A woman called Tonks sat by his large travel trunk, stuffing down the pile of clothes he just dropped off. There wasn't much light in his room, but he could see her hair. At the moment, it was a bright shade of pink.

Harry heard a loud crash downstairs.

"VHO'RE YOU CALLING A RICE GRAIN BEAN AN AMOEBA VOULD OVERLOOK CAUSE ITS TOO SMALL TO SEE?!?"

Harry started.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tonks' hair turn a bright shade of orange.

Harry dropped what he was doing and ran for his door. His arm was grabbed by Tonks before he could take one step past it.

"Bloody hell?!? Ed's still here!!" Harry yelled.

"Wotcher Harry. Steady there. Who's Ed?"

"A muggle I met in this class Uncle Vernon made me take. He was attacked by Dementors, same as me and Dudley. He's not.."

There was a flash of light from the stairwell.

"Fool. That arm's artificial. What'd you think would happen?" A rough low voice called.

Tonks looked Harry in the eye.

"They'll handle it. Let's get back to.."

It felt like the boom rattled the entire house. It was followed closely by blue flashes of things that looked a lot like lightning, and a steady glow of blue that faded in a few seconds. Tonks took her wand out, and pushed Harry behind her. She eased to the stairwell, looking alert and ready. Harry gripped his wand and followed, close behind but he hoped away enough not to interfere with the Metamorphamagus should she need to move quickly.

Tonight was the first he'd heard of a Metamorphamagus.

'Not sure what that means...especially if.. What am I thinking?!? This's Ed! There's no way this's..' Harry thought.

Tonks stopped creeping so suddenly that Harry nearly bumped into her backside.

"Idiot! You were supposed to check him for a wand!!!"

That voice, filled with rage and irritation, sounded like it belonged to Professor Moody.

"I did!!! He didn't have one!! I swear!!!"

And that one...Professor Lupin.

"What happened?" Harry asked and tried to look around Tonks into the now dark stairwell.

She looked over at him, and held her wand high. The bright tip lit up the area nicely.

"See for yourself."

At the base of the stairs, nearly blocking the walkway completely, were bars that stretched up from the floor to the ceiling. It formed a neat box, looking very much like a cage. Within it, stood Professors Lupin and Moody, along with five of the wizards Harry didn't know that well. One was unconcious, laying on the ground. A witch cradled his head in her lap. As he watched, the tall dark skinned wizard grabbed the bars in frustration and shook them.

"They won't end." The man announced with disgust in his voice. Was his name Shacklebolt? The man looked over at Moody who shrugged, and looked over at the wall, folding his arms over his chest.

Harry jumped as he heard a tremendous crash. Neighborhood dogs barked and howled. He looked back over his shoulder.

"Harry?"

"That..sounded like the bins." Harry said, and he turned to run to his window. Tonks again grabbed his arm. He looked her in the eye, and she frowned and pushed him behind her again. She looked down at Moody.

Moody looked up at her, and punched the wall.

"Security breach headed your way, Tonks."

Tonks nodded slightly and creeped back into Harry's room. Harry tried to follow, but she waved him off with a scowl and a small shake of her head. She pointed down to the cage, and tilted her head in such a way that Harry knew he was being told to head down with the others. Harry scowled. She pushed his shoulder in response.

Harry heard the air crack, and turned back to the cage.

Professors Moody and Lupin were gone.

* * *

Pop!

Ed didn't know how they got there, but he knew he was surrounded. He glanced down and saw that both sides had sticks pointed at him. Within mere inches of touching him. One stuck sharply into small of his back. He scowled and took a breath, fully intending to swear every single swear word in his considerable vocabulary, when he felt a stick jab him just under his chin. He lifted it up slightly as if the stick were a knife.

"Quiet you. Hands up where I can see them."

Ed knew the voice belonged to Scarface, and he scowled more. Head pounding even more in his anger. Unable to do anything else, he blinked the pain back. Slowly, he raised both hands from his sides and splayed his fingers. The wand moved away from his neck.

"Accio wand."

Seconds stretched into the night. Ed raised his eyebrows, trying to place the command.

"Accio wand!!" Scarface said, anger evident in his voice.

Ed heard someone snicker beside him, and heard Scarface grumble a quick "Shut it."

Ed's left wrist was grabbed by a rough hand from behind him, and his coat sleeve was pushed up to his elbow. His shirt sleeve beneath followed suit. He hissed as the forearm was twisted in an awkward angle. It was held like that for such a long time, that Ed was beginning to wish he could transmute with his feet.

Just then, his stomach flipped. He closed eyes and gritted his teeth. He wasn't about to let these whatever they were see just how bad off he was.

"Enough, Moody. Move the light." That voice was softer...almost kind in tone. Ed opened his eyes and rolled them to his right side, where the voice had come from. There, stood a man, looking very very sick. Kind eyes. Brown hair with flecks of gray. Several feet taller than himself.

'Of course. Just watch those short jokes. There better not be any short jokes.' he thought.

His left wrist was released with such force he stumbled a bit, and a wave of dizziness struck him. He caught himself before he hit the ground. Barely. He noted that if he were more with it, this wouldn't be that much of a problem. When Ed straightened himself, he felt the weight of a hand on his right housing. He stiffened, and tried to jerk it off, but the sickly man moved to squat in front of him. Ed turned his head away, well aware that there were still those sticks at his back. Kind fingers took hold of his chin and pulled, making him face forward. Then those same fingers forced his chin up, and pushed it to the other side.

'He's looking at my..neck?' Ed thought. Ed raised his eyebrows.

"Didn't anyone think to give him chocolate?" The sickly man said.

Ed heard a snort.

"He WAS passed out on a bathroom floor. You really think he'd be able to keep it down?" Scarface said.

His chin was pulled down. Ed winced as a bright light, on the tip of a stick, was shined his eyes.

The sickly man looked in...no...at his eyes.

"Concussion. A pretty bad one. It's a wonder you're still walking, especially after..." He announced. The sickly man looked down and reached into his pocket. He withdrew a brightly colored, foil wrapped something. It looked like a small rock.

"Oh no you don't, Lupin!" Scarface said.

"Shut it, Mad-Eye. He's just a kid." A female voice this time. Ed felt a vein in his temple throb as his temper rose. KID? His mind roared.

"You can put your arms down now. My name is Lupin. What's yours?" Lupin offered the foil wrapped something out to him. Ed scowled, and lowered his arms slowly. He held his hands close to his chest and turned slightly, keeping Lupin in his sight at the same time as he looked at those he knew were behind him.

He stumbled back a step when he saw the hair of the female change colors from orange to green.

His mind screamed ENVY!!! painfully cutting through the throbbing pain he had pushed down in his head. He brought up his hands trying to contain it..Keep it from spilling out onto the ground. Squeezing his eyes shut. Willing it back down...as he always did.

It wasn't working, but it had to. Just had to. He clenched his teeth, hissing. Sound escaped anyway. Little more than a whimper. He wasn't aware of much more after.

He felt the wound in his chest..become a gaping hole once more. Felt his life slipping away from him in a river of blood. He couldn't breathe.

A hand on his back. How can that be if he was lying on his back?

The sick slurping sound of Envy's arm made as it wetly exited from his chest filled his ears. Envy's grin as he licked the blood off his arm right before his eyes. Right before...He had to get up. Can't just give up.

Can't move.

He grabbed the arm and turned, just so. Throwing Envy as far away as he could. Then he stumbled and was on the ground, on his protesting stomach. Breathing hard.

Can't move.

Body Mind Spirit. He did it. Opened the inner gate in place were alchemy didn't exist. He was...

He was back in the opera house. He knew he was back in the opera house. So deeply buried under Central it was forgotten. He could feel the hush of the array his brother was trapped on. Just within reach. The stone...humming.. with the countless..stolen lives Scar took...That he couldn't stop him from taking. Just waiting to be activated.

But it was his brother. The stone was his brother.

His brother. Whom he had doomed to live as a suit of armor. He was the idiot who put him in that armor.

Fix a mistake with a mistake. Brilliant, idiot apprentence. Just. Brilliant.

His only brother had counted on him. The only family he had. Fool enough to have faith in him. But he failed him. Time. And again.

His brother hated him. For everything.

Slipping through his fingers like sand.

Just. Can't breathe.

Whiteness. An ocean of white. With no up or down. Left or right.

He floated in it.

Where was he? Who was he? What did he want?

It wouldn't be long be for the truth arrived. The awful. Cruel. Truth. He knew.

Truth within truths.

Blood on the wall. The gory remains of a little innocent girl. He tried and tried and tried and tried. Against that. Unforgivng wall.

He failed her. Because he was blind to it.

Truth within truths within truthswithintruths.

He always awaited him by the doors. Smiling wide like it all was just some great joke.

He would wait for him. In this place...whatever it was. Timeless white ocean with no up or down. Left or right.

Not so. Cold? But wasn't he supposed to not feel anything?

He floated along.

And was surrounded by voices.

* * *

Harry heard the crash and ran to the kitchen. He blinked in surprise at what he saw.

Amid the shards of glass that were the remains of the sliding glass door lay Professor Lupin. He shook his head slightly, and more glass shards fell clinking to the ground. He rolled up to a sitting position and looked out the doorway. Harry followed his gaze.

Laying on the ground just outside, with the blankest of blank facial expressions, was Ed. He looked like he was about to do a pushup, but his whole body seemed to be shivering. Golden eyes unfocused.

Behind him stood Professor Moody and the woman called Tonks. Tonks had her mouth open in amazement, hair now a dazzling blue. Moody had his arms folded across his chest.

Lupin looked up almost sheepishly at Harry, and gave him a little smile.

"Stay back, Harry."

Lupin then stood up on the crunchy ground and absently brushed off what glass shards he could. He then cautiously approached Ed on the ground outside. He waved his hand in front of Ed's golden eyes, but the blond didn't even blink. Lupin sighed, and leaned down into a crouch.

"It might be well past the chocolate stage. We're gonna need help with this."

"So drop him off at St. Mungo's." Moody said.

"With those burns on his neck? Think man. No witch or wizard ever gets those from a Dementor. They'll know he's a muggle straight away. They'll panic. Wipe his mind clean. You know that." Tonks said.

Moody snorted.

"Solves our security problem." He said.

"We can't just...leave him like this." Harry said.

Moody gave him a sharp look, and scowled.

"He's my friend." Harry said.

"Don't. Trust. Anyone with false limbs. Boy." Moody said.

"Don't you have..?" Harry said.

"My point exactly." Moody said.

Harry looked down at Ed's right hand. Right METAL hand, shining in the light of Tonk's wand, shaking slightly like his natural one.

'I couldn't even tell it was fake', Harry thought. 'Wait a...'

"Who did that cage thing?" Harry asked.

Moody shrugged and scowled some more. Lupin folded his hands together before his chin and leaned his elbows on his thighs. Harry notice he was careful not to look at him. He looked at Tonks and saw she folded her arms and looked down, hair shifting to orange.

"Fess up. Shacklebolt already said he couldn't get it to end. So who did it?"

Moody shrugged.

"Just proves it's not safe here. For you, or us. We'd better get going. Reparo!" Moody said, and with a flick of his wand, the glass of the door reassembled itself back together before Harry's eyes.

Tonks too, flicked her wand, and Ed floated easily into the air. Tonks took the few steps to the door, and slid it open with her free hand. When she turned around, Ed had folded into a loose fetal position.

Lupin flicked his wand and nodded over to Tonks.

"I'll watch him. Finish helping Harry pack, ok?" He smiled almost shyly.

She nodded. And returned the smile. Her hair changed to a bright pink.

"C'on. Harry. Let's go."

As Harry passed the wizards, and witch, still inside the cage, he couldn't help but notice their expressions. Whatever spell-ending spell they had tried so far, even the best must not be working. He found that fact disturbing, and it worried him. Deeper than he wanted to admit.

'Imagine that. A spell that can never be broken' He thought. A cold shiver went down his spine.


	4. Frigid travel arrangements

When Harry came downstairs, he immediately looked for Ed. He found him, sitting next to Lupin on the overstuffed couch. Though, he had to admit, the word "sitting" was a bit of a stretch for how Ed was propped up. His head was tilted at an odd angle, but mostly faced away from Harry. He couldn't tell if that terrible blank look was still there, because the unruly bangs blocked what he could see of his friend's face. He did see that Ed's arms were stiffly wrapped around his knees, and he was still shivering.

Lupin looked up as he descended the stairs.

"All done?" Lupin asked, a little too brightly, and stood up from the couch. He crunched a piece foil up between his hands, and stuffed it into his pants pocket.

Harry looked at Tonks, clomping down the stairs behind him. Behind her floated his large school trunk and Hedwick's cage. Harry turned back and nodded. Then blinked as it dawned on him. He could see the bathroom door on the wall. The floor to ceiling bars that were there just a bit ago were just...gone.

"That...cage thing..!" Harry said

"Gone.." Shackbolt said with a smile as he looked up at him from where he was squatting. Harry thought he heard relief in the wizard's voice. He supposed it was because he really didn't want to face the Dursleys any more than anyone else did when it came to anything magic related. The tall, dark skin man rose from the ground and wiped his forehead with his wand hand.

"Nothing permanent. Just a series of transfigurations...!" Harry heard from one of the other wizards.

"It'll do for now." Shacklebolt replied, with a tone of finality.

Harry saw a red flash light up the livingroom widows. Wand sparkles, his mind told him.

"That's the signal. On your broom boy!" Moody's voice boomed from the door.

"But Ed's..!" Harry said.

"He'll be riding with me." Lupin said softly.

"He's..going with us?" Harry asked, as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Wotcher Harry. He's going with us. Relax." Tonks told him.

"Tonks. You got point." Moody called out.

Tonks nodded, and grabbed Harry's arm. Harry looked over at the couch as he was lead out the door, as long as he was able. He had to be certain. He only could see Lupin turn and face the doll-like Ed. The rest of his view blocked by his massive trunk. Harry turned away with great reluctance, and looked over at the rest of the wizards and witches, lining up on the street. Before him, Moody stood, issuing orders. Moody looked over at Harry, then limped his way over to stand before him.

"Hold it. Stand still, boy." Moody said, and tapped his wand twice on the top of Harry's head. Harry felt a cold shiver, like ice water, travel down his spine.

"Nice one, Moody." Tonks called, as she strapped Harry's trunk onto her broom. She looked over at Harry's middle. Harry looked down at himself. His body simply didn't look like his body anymore. Instead of seeing his jeans, tshirt, or even worn out, but comfortable! shoes, he sort of took up the texture of the street beneath his feet. At about his thighs, he could make out the texture of the sidewalk. He looked back at Moody.

"Disillusionment Charm." Moody said, and looked up away from Harry. Harry turned to look at what had his attention. Blinked.

Lupin emerged from the house with Ed.

Ed looked as though he were taking a piggyback ride on the sickly man's back, but on closer look, Harry could see that Ed was firmly tied in place. Wrists tied to his elbows at Lupin's neck, as if he was a human necklace. There were additional ropes crossing the man's chest and looping around him, tying Ed against his back. Ed's legs dangled freely several feet from the ground. The hood of Ed's coat was pulled up, obscuring his face. Harry had a certain sense of dread over that.

'Are Ed's eyes going to remain open the entire way?' Harry thought.

Moody walked over, and tapped the top of Ed's head. Between one blink and the next, Harry could see the texture of the doorway and porch through Ed's body.

"That really neces..." Lupin said.

"A precaution. You never know." Moody interrupted, as he gripped his broom.

"Right. Come on." Moody said. He limply briskly back to the formation on the street, not looking back to see if Lupin followed or not. Once there, he looked up. Harry could see the blue eye spinning wildly in the right socket.

"Clear night. Not good. Right you." Moody looked over at Harry.

"We're going to be flying in formation....you keep close to Tonk's tail. Lupin'll be below you. I'm going to be behind you. We don't break rank's for anything. If any one of us is killed..."

"That likely...?", Harry asked.

"..The others will keep flying. Don't stop. Don't break ranks. If they take out all of us, and you survive Harry, the rear guard'll take over. Keep flying east and they'll join you."

"Stop being so cheerful, Moody. He'll think we're not taking this seriously enough." Tonks said.

Moody snorted.

A green flash lit up the sky.

"That's the second signal. Let's go!" Lupin said, stiffly mounting his broom.

Harry kicked off from the ground, his broom responding so briskly he imagined it was just as eager as he to be in the air. All thoughts of the Ministry, his worry over Ed, his frustration at the Dursleys, soon vacated his mind as the icy wind brushed through his dark hair. How he loved to fly!

"Bear southeast and climb!...there's some low clouds we can loose ourselves in." Moody called.

"We are NOT going through clouds, Moody. We'll get soaked!" Tonks yelled.

Moody ignored her, but Harry heard him snort. The formation rose high in the sky, but did stay out of the clouds. Harry's hands were so cold at that point he couldn't feel them anymore. He wished he had a pair of gloves on to warm them.

Harry heard a kind of buzzing below him. No. Not right. That was a clinking..clanking noise, like metal against metal. Muffled. Harry glanced down. Professor Lupin appeared to be shivering.

They altered their course every now and then, according to Mad-Eye's instruction. It was an endless, icy wind against his skin. And Harry's ears ached as if they were frozen enough to fall off his head. Mad-Eye just calmly continued on. Harry lost track of time. Then...that buzzing sound from below stepped up a notch. Noisy. Clattering. Chattering.

"We ought to double back a bit..make sure we're not being followed." Moody said.

"ARE YOU MAD, MAD-EYE?!? Tonks screamed from her broom in front. "We're all frozen to our brooms!!!"

"Some of us will fall off soon. My...friend's...shaking so hard I can barely hold on." Lupin added.

"Worry more when..." Moody growled.

The sound stopped. Abruptly. Harry looked down at Lupin, and saw his eyes widen in alarm. That look, more than anything, made Harry's stomach drop into a pit of ice.

"DESCEND!! FOLLOW TONKS! NOW!" Lupin roared.

Harry followed Tonks into a dive to the largest collection of lights he'd seen on their journey yet. Up as high as they were, they looked like nothing more than a grid of lights against a patchwork of darkness. Lower and lower they flew, and Harry could see headlights, and street lamps, chimneys, and the odd tv antenna. Soon, they came to a large collection of buildings. Blocky. Imposing.

"Here we go." Tonks called.

Shivering, Harry looked around. Lupin landed closeby, and fiddled with something at his neck. He hissed and jerked his hand away quickly. Tonks looked over, and raised and eyebrow.

"Metal hand...So cold it's hot." Lupin muttered, and squatted carefully to the ground. Harry was about to take a step, but one of the other wizards rushed over to assist. Harry wasn't sure what he could do. The wizard squatted, and felt around the textured thing that was Ed. He held his hand still for several moments, fingers just gone, covered in the chameleon-like effect.

"Faint, but there." The wizard announced. His old professor sighed in relief.

"Moody..." Lupin said.

As he stood there, looking on, Moody limped over and shoved a piece of parchment into Harry's hand. "Read quickly. And memorize." Moody said and walked over to Lupin.

Harry looked at the parchment. It read:

The headquarters of the the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number 12 Grimmauld Place, London.

"What's the Order of .." Harry asked.

"Not here boy." Moody growled.

Harry looked up and only saw numbers 11 and 13 upon the blocky buildings before them. Then, before his eyes, a building seemed it inflate itself up from the ground, pushing aside the other two buildings in the process. After all that Harry had experienced thus far in regards to magic, all that he could say at that moment was a breathless...

"Wow."

* * *

Lupin leaned over and threw the lump of texture that was Ed over his shoulder, the texture adjusting against it and blending in chameleon-like. Lupin stood up and without hesitation, went straight away to the shabby, scratched up, black door. He tapped his wand once, and Harry heard the clinking of metal behind it, as well as something that sounded suspiciously like a chain. The door swung open, and Lupin turned to him.

"Get in quick. Go only a little ways in. Don't touch anything." Lupin said.

He then turned and walked, almost ran, down the dark hall before them. Harry listened to his footsteps as they faded into the distance.

Harry stepped inside. The others rushed by him talking in hushed, quiet tones.

'Like this place's a library. Or the home of someone dying.' Harry thought.

The door swung closed behind him, and Harry blinked. He felt the tap of a wand at the top of his head, and the sensation of warm water being poured down his spine. He looked quickly to his side. There, stood Moody.

"There...Now..for some light. Lumos."

Harry looked around, thinking he preferred the place in shadows. Everywhere he looked was covered with thick dust and cobwebs. Darkened picure frames held mysteries, because he couldn't tell what was within. Wall paper an paint both peeling on all the walls. This place had seen better days. It was, in his mind, a shabby place to call a safehouse.

He heard hurried footsteps and turned, thinking it was Lupin. Instead, Harry found himself wrapped in a tight, nearly bonebreaking hug from his best friend's mom: Mrs. Weasley. She was thinner than the last time he'd seen her, and her flaming red hair was frazzed and down.

"Oh, Harry! It's lovely to see you again." She whispered. Then she held him at arms length. "You look peaky, but dinner's going to be delayed a bit, I'm afraid. The Order's having a meeting first."

"Where's Ed? Is he.."

Mrs. Weasley looked at him with a confused expression.

"The other boy..under the Disillusionment charm. Didn't Lupin...? Blast him...!" Moody said.

Fuming, Moody limped off down the hall, and Harry moved to follow. Mrs Weasley held him fast before he could get much farther than a few steps.

"No Harry. Meeting's only for members. Hermione and Ron's upstairs. You can wait with them until the meeting's over. Then we'll have dinner. Keep your voice down in the hall." she added in an urgent whisper.

"Order? But. Ed's a... And he's sick 'cause of..."

Harry blinked at this a bit, not wanting to have her worry about the Dementor attack on him.

".... And..um..why keep quiet in the hall?" Harry said.

"Because I don't want you to wake anything up." She whispered and escorted him to the stairs. She showed him the room where he was staying, and then, nearly immediately, rushed back downstairs. She apologised for this, of course, saying she too had to be in on the meeting, as she herself was a member of the order.

The place reminded him of the Dark Arts the more he looked at it. He was half afraid of what he'd see past the door. With great reluctance, Harry placed his hand on the serpent that passed as a doorknob and entered the room beyond the hallway.

* * *

He floated along in the ocean of white. No up down left or right. Waiting.

He was surrounded by voices.

* * *

"Quick! Get that fire going."

Thump. Tap tap.

Gasps.

"Good lord! The boy's lips are blue! He's human?"

"Yes of course he is. Now help or move out of the way alright?"

"His eyes're open, you know."

"Yes. That. We..I need your help with that. Check his neck and you'll see what I mean."

Gasps.

".........."

"....Is that what I think it is?"

"That looks like..Noooo. You didn't."

"A muggle....here?"  
"Heh..keep him from that portrait..or she'll..!"  
"Oh...damn..."  
"..too funny...!"

"... there. Help me..."  
"..Mom'll hate this...I love it. Haha!"

Clap!  
"Bring him over...now"

"I've only heard about this...in stories. Muggles getting burned by their...touch?"

Crackling noises.  
"So...light. Except for...amazing. Mugglemade are they...?" Thump. Clank.

"Leave 'em alone Arthur."  
"Every time..!"

"Blankets. He needs blankets. Hurry Molly...!"

"How many?"

"All of 'em!"  
"Just HAD to fly over Greenland, didn't you, Mad-Eye?"

Snort.  
"I don't know what you're talking about...Kid's half way dead before we even.."  
"Dumbledore would be the better choice."  
"Dumbledore isn't here, now is he? We'll loose him if this goes on much longer."

"..We'll need the poultice too..."

"What?!!? "  
Crash!

"He's just a muggle. Why should...Take him to St. Mungo's."

"No. We need him intact. They'll take away everything...if.."

"What?"  
"Shut it. He's a...a muggle!"

"Snape. Just do it. "

Sniff. Sniff.  
"So...young..."  
"Molly..."  
Sniff.

"....very well."


	5. Of harsh treatments

He was floating in ocean of white. But found he wasn't alone.

He felt the ominous approach of the thing he didn't want to see. It was here, arriving with a boom that echoed through him as only it could. It was the sound of finality. Of judgement. He heard the nearly sing-song voice calling out behind him.

"Oh Al-chem-ist...."

* * *

A great black iciness gripped him and wouldn't let go. Familiar and full of weight. A rhythm thudded thunderously in his chest.

There was a man with dark, greasy, shoulder length hair.. he wore dark flowing robes, making him look much like a bat. He turned, walked forward from a wooden table and squatted. Soon enough, he saw just his face. And his cold black eyes.

He felt the aching pain in his port at his shoulder. Throbbing slowly. Then it was joined by the port in his left thigh. It was almost like a duet in agony. He pushed it to the background of his mind.. Where it belonged. Then came the frozen..burning pain...throughout the rest of him. He grit his teeth and pushed it back as well.

He was back on the array in the opera house, grand archanum equation done to perfection below him, and he had just activated the arrays he'd drew on his body. Hands across his chest as if he were hugging himself. The rush of energy flowing through him, and making a wind rise from the ground. He closed his eyes as the blue glow increased at his final...what he meant to be his final...thought...have to try....for you Al....

What...!?

He 15. It was a place called London. He ran..on two complete! legs. Novelity of it dying nearly as soon as it occured to him. ...The owner of the body on this side knocking pain against his just-arrived mind, demanding: Who are you..? In his own voice. It was the moment he realised what had happened. I STOLE...a LIFE?!? And..it was... me?!? How...? No time. The ground shook. Headlines on the paper he passed in his rush declaring there was a war....Written in a language he both did and didn't recognise. Then. He saw them. Great airships...floating in the air. Amazing. Silent. What WERE those?

He was 13. On the train headed south. His brother, soul trapped in armor, laughing hollowly at his attempt to cheat at poker. It was a lame try, he admitted to himself. He laughed with him, already planning the next attempt....

Thud thud. He saw the man's cold eyes again. Thud. His view jarred for just a moment. The man's hand withdrew from his face.

"Severus!"

"Don't hit..."

He blinked a slow blink.

"Mr. Weasley, I assure you that I know what I'm doing."

His chin was grabbed firmly by soft hands. Long fingers bit into frozen skin. He saw the dark cold eyes narrow.

Winry, striking his head with a wrench, yelling at him to take better care of both Alphonse and his automail... In the dark tunnels beneath Lior..leading refugees to safety...their way blocked by things only he could fight off. He turned and yelled for them to get the hell away....Huge red flash before his eyes against the bright desert sun, signaling the death of those in the city. No. All those people...but shadows disintegrating against the arc of destruction....Numerous boxy gravestones stacked and doubled up upon themselves..all the way up high..piled like a hill...He fell to his knees before them. Unable to cry because he knew he didn't have the right...

Stop it. STOP!!

The cold black eyes.  
"MAKE ME."

He was 12 the day he received the silver watch and the name .  
NO!NO!NO!NO! GET OUT!

"MAKE. ME." The voice almost a sneer.

He exhaled and squinted his eyes.

Wait.  
Breath. He was breathing.

He could breathe!

He blinked a slow blink. Black eyes. Cold black eyes. A cruel upward curl on the thin lips on one side. The man with the greasy black hair.

He took a deep breath. Held it. Focusing inward. Searching. He felt the energy in the room as it flowed between the atoms...just out of his reach. Frustratingly out of reach. He blinked another slow blink. Right arm safety override...He hissed at the burning cold of that arm so near his ribs, felt it even through the many layers..Heard something tearing, and hoped it wasn't himself. It was stopped...hindered by something. He found couldn't move anything else, as the rest of him was busy shaking and shivering. Cold. So. Cold.

"He...moved!"

"Obviously."

Fuck it.  
He scowled and glared at that face.

Get.

THESHITOUT!!!!!

The face before him jerked backwards, then gave the tiniest of slight nods, yet looked as though it was looking down at something particularly nasty while doing it.

No more images flashed before him. He exhaled a shaking breath. His chin was released.

He felt the burning cold and shivered. He felt rough, but soft material under his chin. The crackling of something behind him. It was warm. He supposed it was a fire. He shivered harder. So...cold. He still couldn't move. So. Frozen. As he watched, teeth chattering away, the man turned to another. This one had long brown, even wavy hair and a scraggly beard. With a sneer in his calm voice, greasy hair said.

"Should you want to be..useful...for once, Black, you might want to change that bandage on his neck in a hour."

'Bandage?' he thought.

He watched as both men glared at one another. Then the one called Black folded his arms, nodded, and looked down slightly with a frown on his face.

Greasy hair then stood and walked off at a brisk pace. Out of his sight, but by the table. He flicked his golden eyes to the group of people huddled around that same table. A woman with red hair stood up and rushed over to him. Tears in her eyes. She reached, to run a hand through his hair, but he managed to flinch his head away inspite of his shivering, and shot her his glare, too.

She got the message, and lowered her hand slowly, hurt clearly in her eyes. She sniffed.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

He blinked, and flicked his eyes to the group behind her. He saw mostly suspicion filled eyes. Interrogation? He glanced down at himself. Saw what was on him...Patchwork...quilts. An ungodly amount of blankets piled one on top of another and covering him like a cocoon.  
'Not a prisoner, then?' He thought.

He heard another sniff. He softened his glare and looked to the woman again.

"Edvard. Edvard Elric." His voice barely a croak through chattering teeth.

"Hello. Edward. We have questions for you." A voice from the table said. He flicked his eyes towards it. It looked like the dark skinned one had spoken.

"V-vhere....am I?" He managed between chattering teeth.

"Someplace safe." The redhead woman sniffed, she raised her hand again. Reaching. He looked at her and blinked a slow blink. He had serious doubts about the truth of that statement. He specifically doubted it was safe for him, especially since he was taken here without his consent. He flinched his head away once more from her hand.

"Where're your parents so that we can...?"  
"D-dead." he said, tone flat.

The woman took a breath. Before she could say a thing, he met the woman's eyes. Focusing, trying to get the chattering to stop...it wasn't working.

"N-need...v-vater. B-bags..of varm...v-vater..."

"Bags...?"

He managed a shaky nod.

"Too..C-cold....V-vater..." He paused, trying to think of the right word. Damn english. "Q-quicker?" He nodded to himself. It sounded like the right one. "Quicker...than f-fire."

That started some whispering at the table. He heard a word he'd never heard before. "Muggle"? He filed that away in his mind to ask about later. One of the people at the table waved a stick in the air. He flinched, fully expecting a blow of some sort to hit him.

"Shhh..shhh. It's alright. He's just getting what you asked for." The woman said.

He nodded his understanding.

'Stick waving must be a signal or some...' he thought, then widened his eyes as something floated in, by itself, to the woman's side. 'How...?' He blinked. It was a bag. Made of butcher paper. Filled to the brim with steaming water. And it was soon followed by several others.

* * *

Harry was with the others gathered at the top of the stairs, trying to hear what was going on in the meeting below. He flinched when he heard a familiar voice loudly croak out:

"MAGIC!!!?"

"That him mate?" The redhead next to him smirked. Harry looked at his best friend, Ron, and smirked himself, nodding. He caught a glimpse of the tall red-headed twins, Fred and George, on either side grinning wolfishly at their younger brother. Ginny, Ron's redheaded younger sister, standing across from him, rolled her eyes.

"Shh." Harry said, as he leaned into the extendible ear and listened to the grumbling that followed.

"Hear that?"

He handed the ear to Hermione, the girl with long brown, and bushy hair.

"What language's that? German?" She said.

Harry shrugged."No idea. He..."

"Oh-oh. Quick!" Fred-or-George grabbed the ear, and started to pull up the long, pink, string that lead to the other end. The other twin helping, rolling the string quickly. There was a loud crack, and Fred and George were gone.

Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry rushed back to the room, and flopped into fabricated, but hopefully natural looking positions about the room. Harry glanced up, and waved his wand, closing the door. A few moments later, he heard two sets of footsteps. And as they approached close to the door, he could hear the distinctive sound of chattering teeth, as well as that odd buzzing sound from the trip over.

He saw Hermione, Ginny, and Ron look up with eyebrows raised. The foot steps continued on down the hall. And soon, Harry heard the sound of ancient pipes coming to life. It wasn't long before Mrs. Weasley appeared in the doorway.

"Meeting's over. Dinner's on. Everyone's dying to see you, Harry." she said.

"What about Ed?" Harry said.

"Oh. He's...fine. Just taking a bath right now. He'll join us as soon as he's..."

Pop!

Fred and George apporated in. Right in front of Mrs. Weasley. She jumped back, eyes wide in surprise at first. Then her eyes narrowed.

"That's enough! Just because you can use magic now does not mean you can use it for every single little thing! Use the stairs for god's sakes!"

"Not nearly.."

"As fun..!"

"As seeing.."

"The look on your face.." Fred and George smiled widely at each other, then at Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh..you! What will I do with you both..! Come on." she fumed, looking pointedly over at Ginny.

Ginny sighed and got up from the bed, following her mother out to the hall.

Harry was soon alone with Herminoe and Ron. Both looked at him apprehensively, like he would start yelling at them again. The sight of them looking so nervous made him feel slightly guilty. Only slightly.

"Look.." He began..But Ron interrupted him.

"Dumbledore made us promise not to contact you, mate."

"We knew you'd be furious at us. And we really don't blame you. But you got to understand. We really tried to pursuade Dumbledore..

"Yeah. I know." Harry said, and folded his arms. He looked down at his worn out, but comfortable! shoes.

"Come on. I'm starving." Ron said, and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders in a quick side hug. He led the way down the stairs. And he was the one who spotted him first. He held out an arm to stop Harry, and Harry looked at Ron in annoyance.

"Snape" He breathed, voice barely above a whisper.

"What's he have to do with the Order?" Harry snapped, in a hushed voice. He looked below him and saw the greasy haired man in the hall below him. He was standing in the center of the group. He blinked. All adults, and they were all excitingly whispering to one another, much like he and his own friends often did. It was a disturbing sight to see.

"Don't know. But he never stays for Dinner." Ron said.

"Thank goodness" Harry said, with venom in his hushed voice.

'Hate the man. Dinner with him would be dreadful. Too much to take.' He thought.

* * *

Ed was dozing off in the water, and he knew that was a bad thing. Especially where automail was concerned. It weighed him down in water, making death by drowning a very likely occurance. It was the reason he usually chose to take showers instead. But. He was finally warm, aches not aching, and, at the moment, very unwilling to move. He leaned his head back on the rim, letting the crook of his neck keep him from falling too far down.

'What a day.' he thought, and looked up at the ceiling, examining the many cobwebs hanging there.

Nearly freezing to death. That he could believe and was managing just fine right now. The pain in his head told him he still had a concussion... caused by what, he was still fuzzy on. Then there was that burn on his neck...

His left, living hand touched the bandage impulsively, and he made himself to stop.

'Creatures they call "Dementors"....and that..magic....'

He looked at the towel that hung nearby..conjured up by that woman calling herself Mrs. Weasley. He has seen her do it with a wave her wand, (that is what they were called, not "sticks"), but his mind screamed in protest at it. Not that the materials that made up the wall were all that different to make such a thing, but it would take a very skilled achemist to pull it off. He'd done it himself a few times. There was no denying that he could see no transmutation marks on the wall behind it, though.

'No equivalent exchange.' He thought, then blinked. He shook his head, and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his left hand. He let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding.

"Wonder what they'd think of....how I got here." He said aloud to no one in particular, words echoing a little against the tile. Amestrian rhythm and syllables soothing his ears, helping him put his mind in order. He sat up, and looked at his right metal hand, resting the forearm on his knee. "No. Not yet. I don't even believe it, and I lived through it.. "

'Good thing that Weasley woman is so overprotective that I didn't have to answer too many questions. I know it won't last. They'll want their answers.'

Feeling useless just sitting in the cooling water, he got out of the tub and stood on mismatched feet. And then reached for the offending towel.

Down below. He heard it. Someone screaming in anger. A female. And it was answered with equal fury. A male voice.

Sighing, he toweled himself off, and looked to the pile of blankets and clothes he'd tossed aside. He was the one that insisted he should be left on his own in the bathroom. Shooing the well meaning Mrs. Weasley out as soon as his hand touched the snake shaped door handle. Now, he really hated the idea of putting on the same clothes. They stunk and were dirty from the fight and his sickness.

"Well. Might as well show them some alchemy. See what they do..."

'Maybe get some answers of my own. Like where the hell I am.'

He was really too tired, he knew, to do anything really fancy. And doing alchemy with a concussion was just begging for problems. He lifted up the quilted monstrosity on top, and snorted.

"Magic." He said in a derisive tone, this time, in English. And wrinkled up his nose in disgust at the word's taste on his tongue. He flipped up the quilt and spread it out on a clear spot on the floor. Array and equation pictured in his mind, glowing in brilliance. Then he firmly slapped his hands together. The sharp distinctive sound echoing against the tiles and ringing in his ears.


	6. A taste of Fullmetal

A/N:Thanks for the reviews!!!I loved every one of 'em. I'm amazed that so many came in, and they really do make my day. I didn't think this piece was all that good, really. LOL.

* * *

He was really too tired, he knew, to do anything really fancy. He lifted up the quilted monstrosity on top, and snorted.

"Magic." He said in a derisive tone, this time, in English. And wrinkled up his nose in disgust at the word's taste on his tongue. He flipped up the quilt and spread it out on a clear spot on the floor. Array and equation pictured in his mind, glowing in brilliance. Then he firmly slapped his hands together. The sharp distinctive sound echoing against the tiles and ringing in his ears.

The single candle that lit the bathroom went out...plunging him into sudden darkness.

He heard soft pattering...like...Bare skin slapping against tile. Something. Definitely bigger than a rat. He turned his head and caught glimpse. A swiftly moving shadow amongst shadows, low to the ground. He wasn't alone. He shook out his hands, quickly dispersing the energy from the previous, unactivated array. Gold eyes darting about..searching the shadows.

Nothing. He heard a low, bullfrog-like voice. Muttering softly. Venom in its..his?..tone...

He slowly stood up from his crouch, turned and snatched his long pants from the pile by feel. The idea of a fight while naked wasn't very appealing to him in the first place, and the idea of a fight with his head pounding from a concussion, while naked, absolutely put him in a seriously foul mood. It took all of two seconds for him to literally jump into his slacks. The entire time his did this, his eyes never stopped scanning the shadows around him.

'Bathroom's not that big. How'd something get...?'

Ed saw a pair of red eyes shine in the shadows.

"Filthy muggle! OUT! OUT! OUT!!! Out of the mistress's...!"

Ed easily dodged the shadowy thing's charge by instinct, but slipped on the pile of clothes and blankets. He landed hard on the ground but recovered with a roll. He heard the thing itself crash with very loud BANG! against the door, just on the other side of the blanket he had just spread out. Ed stood back up, and banged his head on the lip of the sink above him. He hissed in annoyance at the blunder. He could hear whatever it was...fumbling to regain its own footing.

'The blanket must be giving it some trouble...'

Ed smiled evilly to himself.

Using his mental map of the room, he grabbed another blanket from the heap. Feeling it's along it length in the dark, testing it's strength with a sharp tug at the edges. Carefully, he approached whatever it was before him, intending to use the blanket as a net. He flung it out quickly and dove at the same time, wrapping his arms blindly. Ed found he grappled the thing, and blinked in surprise.

'It...worked? How stupid...!' He thought.

He felt two arms and two legs struggling beneath him. Whatever it was..it was strong. Something struck Ed hard enough on his nose to make him see stars. Ed growled, and firmed up his grip with his right metal arm on what he thought was an arm below the blanket. He squeezed hard, knowing well he could easily break bones this way, and something gave...

The thing actually yelped, then screamed loudly with a voice full of pain.

POP!

The blanket turned net was suddenly empty. He patted it down experimentally with his left hand.

Not sure what to make of it, he reached up on the door with his left hand, feeling for the door handle. Dim light from the hallway spilled in, showing him that he was indeed alone in the bath. He stood, eased into his fighting stance, then creeped out backwards into the hall. He heard the pounding of several footsteps approaching him...

...and adjusted his fight stance accordingly.

* * *

Harry heard the pain filled scream and startled. He saw the adults down below all stiffen and look up.

"The bath..!" Hermione breathed.

Harry turned and ran.

He was the first to see the blond emerge smoothly, creeping backwards from the bath. Ed's long blond hair was slicked back, obviously wet and dripping, nearly reaching the middle of his back. A white bandage clung to the front of his neck. He was decent, only half dressed, wearing the pair of dark slacks he was in earlier.

Harry heard Hermione gasp in surprise, and he couldn't blame her.

"Blimey.." Ron muttered.

Ed turned to face them all with a glare that made his golden eyes seem to burn.

Harry stopped short, and held his arms out to catch both his friends, trying to keep them back at what he hope was a safe distance. The thing that caught his eye the most was Ed's right arm and shoulder. Shining with a metallic gleam in the dim light of the hall. And the smooth, expert-like way Ed moved it, and the rest of him, into what he supposed was a martial arts stance...much like he had seen in the movies on the television when he was staying with the Dursleys. Harry could also see Ed's feet. One foot, his left, was also made of metal.

Harry noticed a trickle of blood drip down from Ed's nose, but Ed gave no indication it bothered him. At all.

"Harry." Ed stated, and lowered his arms a fraction.

Ed golden eyes then flicked to those just arriving behind. He watched Ed frown slightly and deepen his stance.

Pop!

Ed was in motion before Harry even registered the arrival of Fred and George. He saw him dive the ground and quickly spin his legs, sweeping Fred or George off his feet in such a way that he crashed into his twin. Both twins crashed together in a twisted heap of tangled limbs first against the wall with a loud bang!, then to the floor. Fred or George's wand dropped out of his hand, but it was only one. Not that it mattered.

Ed was back on his feet the next second, watching all with wary animal eyes, back into that stance. Harry glanced to the heap of twins, eyes wide in amazement. It looked like both twins were quite winded from the impact with the wall, were having difficulty sorting out what belonged to who enough to stand, much less point a wand at anyone.

"Bloody..hell..." Ron whispered.

Harry then felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, pulling him behind an adult's back. First Sirus's, then, of all people, Snape's. He looked back at who it was that was pulling him, and saw that it was Mr. Weasley.

* * *

Ed watched the group of people carefully. Most had wands pointed at him, but two held them with very shaky hands. One them was that Weasley woman. She splayed out her fingers, and slowly, deliberately, put her wand away. Then she slowly approached him.

"Calm down, Edward. No one's.." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Don't tell me be calm vhen I didn't choose to be here in the first place!!!" Ed snapped. "I am not about to let myself be taken again vithout knowing vhere I'm going to. Clear? These.."

Ed flicked his chin at the twins.

"..very sloppy. They yours?" Ed scowled at Mrs. Weasley.

"They're my sons. Yes. But..." Mrs. Weasley said softly.

"We didn't mean to..."

"It was just a joke mate.."

"You understand..?"

Ed eyed them and wiped his nose with his left hand. He flicked his eyes at it, noting the blood. He didn't break his stance.

"What. Happened?" Greasy hair said, voice calm and low. Ed flicked his eyes up at the man's cold dark eyes.. Noting that this one held his wand calmly, with cool confidence. Face a mask. Set in a sneer, but still, a mask.

'Likely hard to take down,' Ed thought.

"I vas attacked. I defended myself. It screamed. Then wasn't there anymore." Ed said, words clipped, tinged with anger.

The man called Sirius sighed, and lowered his wand.

"Kreacher." he said, disgust in his voice.

"Was wondering where he went off to.." said another voice in the group.

The other adults reluctantly lowered their wands as well. All except greasy hair. Ed kept his arms ready.

"vho sent..dis...creature..to attack me?" Ed said.

"No one. He's...a house elf." Sirius said.

Ed's face scrunched in confusion.  
"He's a bit insane..but usually quite harmless." A bushy haired girl, in the behind the adults added.

Ed scowled.  
"Riiiight. That's vhy he attacked me and called me filthy muggle vile doing it. I heard some of you say this vord at table tonight. Who sent him?"

"Wotcher. Just as paranoid as you Moody." A female voice whispered loudly.

There was a grunt in the crowd, and a heavy tap of a wooden something. The group parted, and up walked..or rather, limped a man. Ed recognised him as Scarface. Mismatched eyes and the half gone nose were clear in his memory.

"He has good reason." Scarface, now "Moody", said, and folded his arms across his chest. A wooden staff rested in the crook of his arm.

'No wand for this one?' Ed thought.

After a few tense moments, Ed blinked his eyes, shook his head, and sighed. He then slowly lowered his arms to his sides, and stood normally.

"If you vanted to kill me, I'd tink I'd be dead by now...."

"Wise decision." Greasy hair said with a sneer, and lowered his wand. Slowly.

Ed touched the bandage at his throat with his left living hand. "You. You're the one..that pulled me back?"

The greasy hair raised a single eyebrow, then give a slight nod. All the while looking as if he were examining something vile.

"Equivalence demands I return the favor. I vish to do so now. Can we speak in private?"

"Make it quick, Mr. Elric. I have pressing business to attend to."

Ed nodded a tight nod, but before he could take a single step...

"Put on some clothes, boy! Weren't you just freezing to death? You're dripping wet all over the hall...!" Mrs Weasley called out.

'Boy!!??' Ed clenched his teeth and fisted his mismatched hands at his sides. After a moment, he smirked.

'Why not now?' Ed thought.

Ed clapped his mismatched hands together in front of his chest. Then he raised them to either side of his head, fingers splayed. The rush of flowing energy warmed his arms and flowed throughout him. There was arching of blue electricity, and a flash of blue light. When the light faded, Ed felt steam rising up off of his head. His long blond hair was now dry. He quickly arranged it into a rough braid with mostly his left hand.

The hall was still silent when he finished with the braid, and Ed ignored their eyes. He followed the greasy haired man down the hall and down the stairs. Automail plates on his right jingling slightly with every step. Even with that in his ears, he heard someone in the crowd whisper.

"Blimey..!"


	7. The Weasley twins strike back!

A/N: Couldn't think of a good witness for the Snape/Ed thing, so I settled on a general 3rd person something or other. (Maybe its a certain rat) I wanted to keep this just Ed and Harry's POV, but now? Eh. Heading into AU zone. Is there any other way to do this properly? I think not. Ed's just too strong a character for changes not to take place in the HP world.

* * *

The hall was suffocated by thick cobwebs and age darkened picture frames, drab and peeling wallpaper and paint. The two stood uneasily near the end, close to the door to the outside world. One stood tall, towering over the other by several feet, with dark, greasy, shoulder-length hair, and clothing that vaguely made him resemble a bat.

The other had long hair of gold, tied back in a braid. In the dim light, the gleam of metal shone of his right arm and shoulder. The only article of clothing on his well toned body was the long pair of dark slacks he had hastily donned. His feet bare.

"Well. Mr. Elric." The greasy haired man sneered. A statement, rather than a request.

The golden haired young man folded his arms across his chest and looked over his shoulder. He then turned back to the man before him, and rolled his eyes. He jabbed his chin slightly to the right, saying nothing.

The greasy haired man raised a eyebrow, and slowly moved his cold dark eyes in the general direction the younger man had indicated. Down the hall, a large group of witches and wizards were gathering, whispering among themselves. There were many curious glances directed over at the two. The greasy haired man directed his gaze back to the young man, a slight sneer on his face.

"I'm sure it will be a but trivial matter, but get on with what which you wish to discuss with me. "

The younger man looked down to the ground and let out a breath, then met the cold dark eyes firmly with his own gold.

"Are you in pain? Or bleeding anyvhere vithout any kind of vound?" The young man said in a low soft voice.

The greasy haired man's eyebrows lowered slightly, sneer falling into a confused grimace. The young man looked to the floor, studying every crack a flaw below the mans feet. Jaw clenched in a stubborn line.

"..Get checked by doctor. Make for certain there is nothing missing. Do it soon." the young man whispered, then turned around.

"I assure you those were but shadows in your mind, Mr. Elric. As you are a muggle, in spite of your...palor tricks...I do not expect you to..."

"Take my advice or don't. It matters not to me." He said softly.

Without looking back, the young man walked to the stairs farther down the hallway, shoulders slumped in a way only the young could manage. The greasy haired man watched him, and it took a few moments for his face to get back to it's usual sneer.

* * *

Harry stood a the top of the stairs with his friends Hermione and Ron, watching Ed as he tried to manuver past all the curious witches and wizards gathered at the base of the stairs in the hallway. There wasn't a single one that didn't whisper a hurried question to him, which he pointedly ignored with a scowl. His golden eyes were focused on his goal, which appeared to be the top of the stairs. His way blocked more often than not by the body of an adult.

POP!

Harry jumped in surprise.

"Thought you learned your lesson already about that.." Ron muttered, and leaned over the stairwell.

Harry looked over his shoulders and saw that Ron's twin brothers apporated right behind him. He saw that they too watched Ed, both had thoughtful expressions on their faces, and were rubbing their chins with one hand.

"I'm surprised he doesn't.."

"..pound the snot out of them, too."

Harry smirked at them, knowing well they must be still sore from the treatment at Ed's hands, or rather feet, for a similar stunt they pulled a few minutes ago.

Ed looked up just then and his golden eyes met Harry's. The same bewildered expression on his face flashed for but a moment, the one that Harry remembered from his short visit at the Dursleys. Then his eyes scrunched up in pain, which passed so quickly back to the scowl, that Harry thought he had imagined it. Then the eyes shot about place, as if searching for something. Soon, Ed disappeared from Harry's sight.

"Where'd he..?" Hermione said.

"Probably apporated away." Muttered Ron.

"Alright. Out with it. What do you know about him?" Hermione demanded.

Harry blinked at her. She stood with her arms crossed near Ron.

Ron was nearly completely bent over the stair rail. Ron looked over at him through the stair rails, upside down.

"I really just met him. In this..dreadful muggle class..during the summer Uncle Vernon signed me up for. He kept to himself for most of it. Then we got assigned as class partners because he wasn't participating at all, and the teacher wouldn't sign us off until he did."

"How old is he? Where is he from? Tell us." Hermione demanded.

Harry shrugged.

"I really don't know. He has to be a minor, though. That class was only for juveniles. The delinquent kind."

"Blimey!.." Ron called out, quickly got back to standing from his lean. He bumped into Hermione so hard he nearly knocked her over.

There was a distinctive sound. A clinking of metal against metal. Harry saw a pair of mismatched hands suddenly appear from below his sight in the stairwell, and grab two of the rails by their base where Ron was previously leaning. The hands firmed their grip as he watched. There was a grunt, and the rest of the body appeared. Swinging upwards...backwards...gymnast-like. The legs flipped over the railing first, and Ed pulled the rest of himself over it.

Ed then turned to face them, hardly winded at all from what Harry thought should be a very difficult thing to do.

Harry noticed that Hermione blushed and looked down suddenly.

'Another crush..? Already?' He thought. Remembering well the Ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lockhart, that Hermione practically worshipped.

Harry looked to Ron, and noted that his friend scowled slightly at Ed.

'Looks like he noticed it too. This could be fun.' Harry thought evilly. 'I could get her and Ron back for not writing me all summer.'

"Is tere someplace I can get sleep?" Ed asked, rubbing where his flesh met his metal shoulder with his left hand.

"oh! But dinner's..." Hermione said brightly, her hands entwined together at her chin. Harry rolled his eyes.

Ed grimmaced, and closed his eyes a moment.

"Not for me." Ed said, and wrapped his left flesh arm around his stomach. "Not now, anyvay. Maybe morning better."

Hermione thought a moment, then looked around. She even smacked the scowling Ron on the chest with the back of her hand, and gave him a pointed look. A look full of meaning that was certainly lost on both himself and Ron until she said.

"We'll need to ask Mrs. Weasley."

At which point, both Harry and Ed jumped, for the twins behind him disapportated with a loud:

POP!

* * *

Ed barely caught his head before it hit the table for the fifth time in the last fifteen minutes.

Before him was a bowl that represented a compromise he had reached with the Weasley woman: A simple broth. He knew it was a sign of how tired he really was. He wrinkled his nose at it, though he was more disgusted at himself than at its presence. Simply because he gave in to the woman's arguments.

The broth was untouched as his still quesy stomach was assaulted by the smell of the feast the others were to be dining on. He managed to beat back the bile so far, but the drowsiness kept hitting him in waves. His head was pounding and it was getting increasingly harder for him to remain awake.

Why had the Weasley woman insisted he simply couldn't go to sleep without at least attempting to get something down to his gut? Why hadn't he left out the front door like he had intended when she redirected him downstairs..?

He heard it. Again. Soft snickering. Even muffled chuckles. He forced his eyelids open to track the sound. But it stopped before he could find out where it came from for certain. It was definitely one of the redheads. Not that it mattered. It seemed the entire table was filled with them.

He leaned his chin into the palm of his right hand. The coolness of the metal hand against his skin forcing the drowiness away once again. He was wearing borrowed clothes. A loud, long sleeved sweater, and equally loud long pants. He'd have changed them to his usual dark colors, if he thought he was up to it, without any regrets whatsoever. As it was, they made him look like a relative of the Weasleys, albeit a blond, as they all wore something similar. It looked to him as though they'd never seen a color they didn't like, and all colors they liked, quite natually, just went together the best.

Harry sat across from him, next to the man called "Black" and a pile of rags, under which was apparently something human called "Mundungus". Mundugus apologised to both he and Harry. Ed was very unclear why. What did the man actually expect to be able to do? Attacks happened. Life wasn't fair. What of it?

He wrinkled his nose again, this time at the smell of the smoke from the human rag pile.

Again came the snickers.

He felt the soft impact against his right metal forearm pressure sensor. He opened his golden eyes and saw what caused it. A ginger cat with a smooshed face coolly regarded him with its own slitted eyes. He blinked.

"Of all things... A cat." He breathed to his hand in Amestrian.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione called, as if scandalized.

"I-it's alright." Ed said in English, and reached out with his left living hand, carefully scratching behind the creature's ears. It purred out loud and leaned into his touch. It's whole body vibrating with it's pleasure. He smiled in response...somewhere between a smirk and a frown, and took the cat into his arms, careful to only use his right as a platform for the cat to stand on, and sat back enough not to have the cat touch the table.

"How was your summer Harry?"

"Awful."

Ed listened as they compared notes on "awfulness". He nearly snorted in derision but stopped himself, concentrating solely on petting the cat on his arm. Enjoying the soothing purrs. They almost soothed away the pounding in his head.

He heard "Order of the Phoenix", "Dumbledore", and "Voldemort". The last word made some of the people at the table shudder. He learned that this house he was stuck in belonged to the man called Black. Last of his family. Nobility. Politics. Blah blah blah. Ed glanced up to the man. He seemed engrossed in his conversation with Harry.  
'Why am I included here?' He wondered to himself.

"Do that one like a pig's snout, Tonks.." Ed heard Ginny say, and he glanced over. Tonks obliged her request, dully changing her own nose into the requested shape, but he couldn't help but freeze his moments at the sight. Crookshanks mewed in protest of the inattention. Hermione, Tonks, and Ginny looked over at him.

"You ok, Ed?"

The pig's snout changed back to Tonk's normal nose before him. He met her eyes. Visions of a green haired psychopath entered his mind. Ed blinked, and forced himself to look away.

"Ed?" Harry this time.

"I'm..fine..." Ed smiled widely to him. And continued to pet Crookshanks with his left hand.

The cat suddenly squeaked, and jumped away from his arms. The pounding in his head returned almost immediately. He closed his eyes, breathed in a deep breath, and let it out though his nose. Beating it back down. Inch by inch. He then leaned his elbows on the table and entwined together his mismatched fingers. Looking at no one but the table, he leaned his forehead into his hands. He felt His heart thundering in his chest, pushing up the pain in his head, making it worse.

"I'm still here..my heart's still here..." He said softly to himself in Amestrian, like a mantra. Slowly, he was convincing himself he was safe.

"Fred..George..NO JUST CARRY THEM!!!" Mrs Weasley called out.

Ed looked up in time to see the pot of stew float in, and skid across the table unsteadily, settle itself right before him. He didn't raise an eyebrow, but he did clutch at his stomach as the smell wafted over. He screwed up his eyeballs and panted, pushing back the bite of bile as it rose back with all his formidable will. He turned himself away, and pinched his nose closed.

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE. THERE WAS NO NEED. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!!!"

He then stood up and stepped away from the table.

"EDWARD!?" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

If his head wasn't pounding so much already, he'd have flinched at the sheer volume of her voice. Instead, he looked over his shoulder, and clutched his stomach with his left hand. He blinked. Standing behind her, were the twins. They were looking at him. They turned to each other with a grin plastered on their faces, and high-fived above their heads. One of them then held up a single hand and mimiced a countdown with his fingers. By the time that hand got to one, Ed found himself coughing. Gagging. He turned away. Then dry heaving began. He couldn't stop. He leaned one hand heavily on the wall, and squinted his eyes shut. His knees gave way, both metal and flesh hitting the floor as one.

"THAT'S WHY YOU TWO VOLUNTEERED FOR KITCHEN DUTY!!!!??? I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!!!!!!"

"Nothing we did mom..."

"Honest! Nothing at all!"

Ed felt a hand on his back. Rubbing it in slow circles. Slowly, the heaving eased. Soon it was back down to a just quesy stomach. His head still pounded from the mother of all headaches, but he was able to push it back enough to open his eyes. He saw the ground before him, and it was dry. He panted, trying to catch his breath.

"Wotcher..." A female voice said softly beside him, and he blinked a slow blink.

"As much as I hate to agree with those two pranksters. They're right." Male voice, words softly spoken. Was it Lupin?

"WHAT?!?"

"Edward's got a real bad concussion. On top of..this other thing. I was surprised when I saw him sitting at the table."

"What's a.."

"Concussion..?"

"It's not something you can bottle, you gits! Now shut it!" Ginny yelled. Ed smiled. The girl had LUNGS. Just like her mom.

He turned his head and looked at who was rubbing his back. He blinked, but wasn't really surprised. Tonks, now with red hair. He met her eyes and nodded slightly to her in thanks.

'Her eyes are kind. How could I have mistaken her for that..thing?' He thought.

He slowly climbed back to his feet. He closed his eyes as the room spun around him. Shaking off Tonk's hovering hand. He willed it to stop, fisting his hands at his sides. It obeyed, for now. He then turned slowly and shuffled to the hearth with all the grace of an old man..well away from the food, but close enough to be part of the conversation. He sat on the warm bricks, and sighed as his chilled skin was warmed by the fire.

"Stop talking like I'm not here." Ed rasped out, his voice now a ruined wreck.

He eyed the twins as they took their seats and smiled evilly at them. They smiled mischievous smiles right back.

He watched them as they ate heartily, and soon all about the table relaxed, bellys full and quite satisfied. Ed's aching head had eased a bit, too, thanks to the warm influence of the fire relaxing tense muscles in his back and neck. The quesiness of his stomach was down to a more tolerable level, and the oppressive drowsiness had tapered off. He was relaxed, but alert.

"You know. I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here was start asking questions about Voldemort..." Black said to Harry and lifted a mug of some warm looking liquid to his lips for a sip.

Ed watched the relaxed atmosphere of the room changed instantly. Everyone seemed to tense up, and go silent. The tension in the air so thick a knife could cut though it. Like they were waiting for death to descend down upon them at any moment.

Ed thought it was about time to get some answers of his own. Elbows resting on his knees, he leaned forward, and cocked his head to the side.

"Tell me. Who is this...Moldy-shorts..anyvay? " Ed asked, voice low and rasping, but the sarcasm in his tone rigging loud and clear.

Black spit the liquid out of his mouth in a huge spray on the table, and looked at him with his eyes wide in surprise. Ed raised his eyebrows as one by one they all turned and looked at him incredulously, as if he had just asked the most ridiculous question in the world. Ever. He then lowered his brows and stared right back at each of them with his own steady, unnerving gaze, until each looked away. When he got to Harry, he saw that the dark haired boy with the lightening bolt scar looked him with a wide grin plastered on his face.

"Vha--at..."


	8. Deflections and revelations

A/N:Short one. Um...don't mention it to Ed...

* * *

Harry looked at Ed's steady gaze and couldn't help but smile wide. He also had a clear view of Hermiome and Ron, and saw that both were trying their best to hold back barks of laughter. Beside him, Sirius Black coughed and sputtered, clearing his throat of his inadvertly inhaled butterbeer. He looked over to Lupin, his old Defense against the Dark Arts teacher and werewolf, and saw the smirk gracing his lips. Mr. and Mrs Weasley both looked positively uncomfortable, faces torn between laughter and terror at Ed's mangling of the Dark Lord's name.

"Vha--at." Ed said with a rasping voice.

It was the pile of rags that was Mundungus that broke the silence. Snorting with laughter, he said:

"'Moldy-shorts' HA! That's got ta be da best name I've eva 'eard for 'im..!"

His godfather then slapped the table with his palm, and a nearly soundless chuckle shook his shoulders.

The atmosphere in the room lightened considerably after everyone at the table had a laugh. Harry saw Ed raise an eyebrow, clearly confused by their reactions. Ed sat back slightly at the hearth, one knee bouncing up and down, mismatched hands clasped together between his legs.

"Forgive us, Edward. We forget that you're muggle-born, and new to all of this. Apparently." Sirius said as he looked over at Ed.

Ed scowled slightly, but nodded a sharp nod.

"Vhile you're at it, tell me vhat this 'muggle-born' is. And 'muggle'."

"You really don't know?" Hermione gasped.

Ed rolled his gold eyes at her.

"Vould there be a point of asking if I did?" Ed snapped.

"Ed.." Harry began.

Ed let out a breath through his nose, and frowned. His gold eyes looking at them all.

"Didn't your parents tell you? I thought..I'd assumed..you had to be homeschooled..?" Mrs Weasley said.

"I told you dat alvready. De're dead." Ed said flatly.

Harry blinked, surprised at that bit of news.

"I-im sorry." Harry stammered.

Ed's sharp gaze pierced his own.

"Don't be. Now tell me vhat I vant to know."

Harry took a breath, but before he could even begin.

"How old are you, mate?" Ron said.

Ed narrowed his eyes as they shifted to Ron.

"16 years. Vhy?"

"Blimey 16?! I thought you were youn..

"YOU SAYING I'M SHORT FOR MY AGE???!!!!!" Ed roared, face full of fury as he stood with his mismatched hands fisted at his sides. Fully focused on Ron.

Ron glanced to Harry, eyes wide with surprise and worry. He leaned back as far from the furious blond as he could get without leaving his seat, obviously remembering the pounding his twin brothers had received. As Harry watched, he was literally wilting from the intensity of Ed's fury. Harry noticed that even the adults at the table shifted slightly away from the blond, as if, they too, were afraid of what he'd do when sufficiently angry.

"Ed...he didn't mean it like that. Honestly..we didn't know." Harry said carefully in a calm voice.

Harry watched as Ed grumbled to himself in that odd language of his. Within moments, the blond sat back down at the hearth, and folded his arms across his chest. Ed looked at Harry specifically.

"Tell me vill you?"

"I'm not sure its a good idea for him to tell you. He's in trouble enough as it is. He...has a court date over that attack on you and him both." Lupin said.

"Vhy?"

"It's illegal for a minor to use magic, especially in front of a muggle." Harry muttered.

"But Ed's not a muggle! He did that hair drying thing...without a wand even! We all saw that!" Ron said.

"The Ministry must not know about that. Didn't you see? There were no notices sent to him by owl for performing underage magic. I should know!" Harry said.

"You get them..."

"..nearly instantly." Fred or George added.

He saw Ed clasp his hands together, resting his elbows on his knees. Ed looked down, and a frown deepened on his face. He was silent for several moments.

"Legally...I am my own guardian. Vould this make difference with this 'Ministry' of yours?" Ed said slowly in a low voice, like he was weighing each word with care.

"No. No. Not that I know of." Mr Weasley said, and he looked at Ed with a tilt to his head.

"And you vould know because..?"

"I work for the Ministry. Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department."

Ed sighed. He rubbed the lower half of his face with his left hand. Then he shrugged. He glanced over at Harry and held his gaze.

"As I understand it, your actions saved my life. I do not understand your laws when they cause one to be punished for such a thing. But then, many laws are like that. I can see you, or anyvone here, telling me any more about these tings vill not be equivalent. This is fine.

"As for this 'Ministry', they are likely very incompetent. At very top, I mean. They vill be upset once dey discover their mistake, and I see dey vill not be nice. I vill go as soon as I am able. "

He watched as Ed stood from the hearth and stretched a bone popping stretch. Ed then looked over at Mrs. Weasley.

"You are having place for me to rest...?"

As Ginny showed Ed to the room, Harry resumed his conversation with Sirius. This sparked an arguement between Sirius and Mrs. Weasley, and Harry was grudgingly allowed to hear 'news' about the Order of the Phoenix's doings. It was to be very limited news mostly because Dumbledore only wished him to hear what he needed to know.

'Whatever that means..' Harry thought.

"ok, Harry. What do you want to know?" Sirius began.

"Where's Voldemort?" Harry demanded.

* * *

Ed flopped on the bed that was conjured from nothing, not really caring anymore for analysis of conjured objects. His head ached, and the drowiness overtaxed his ability to concentrate. He was surprised that sleep did not claim him right away like he thought it would. Instead, his mind buzzed.

'That was a close one.' Ed thought. 'They're mistaking my alchemy for 'magic', and I'm nearly a criminal again. Not good. But its not like I haven't handled worse situations and come out just fine.'

He mulled over all that he had gleamed from the dinner, long practice making him think like he was going to write a report. He was getting a pretty ugly picture about this 'magical world' in his head.

'Like they took all the elites of alchemists and hid them away. Then let the rest of the world forget about the art entirely while they...ah crap. This doesn't make any kind of sense...! The 'muggle' side was just fine. Boring. But fine. What am I missing..?'

"I want you to go straight to bed. No talking." Mrs. Weasley's voice, wafting in from the hall.

"Roommates. Wonderful." Ed muttered in Amestrian.

"All right. Ron. Harry. Off to bed with you" Mrs Weasley said, and the lights in the room came on. Ed carefully controlled his breathing, and made sure his eyes were closed, feining sleep. He supposed he didn't need to bother, since there were piles and piles of blankets covering him.

"Night." Ron and Harry said.

"Sleep tight" One of the twins, Ed supposed, and he heard the door get pulled closed. The other two shuffled about the room, and Ed heard the plinks of something getting tossed up above him. As well as the hoots and hisses of what could only be owls.

"Can't let them hunt here too often. Dumbledore doesn't want too many owls in the courtyard. He thinks it might make things look suspicious...oh, I forgot!" Ron said.

Ed heard the distinctive sound of a bolt being slid into place on the door. The lights dimmed.

"What was that for?" Harry said.

"Kreacher. Believe me you do not want him in here at 3 in the morning, rummaging around." Ron said.

"Not likely to happen. I think Ed scared him away." Harry said.

"Not possible. He's a house elf. Can't leave unless told to, remember? " Ron said.

"Ed's right there. You really think Kreatcher will be anywhere around him now? " Harry said.

"I just want to be sure. He's a nutter. Creepy too. Anyway, whad ya reckon? " Ron said.

"Well, they didn't tell us anything that we didn't already guess. I mean, they only told us that the Order is trying to stop people from joining Vold..."

A sharp intake of breath, and Ed rolled his eyes.

"..demort. When are you going to start using his name? Lupin and Sirius do."

"Yeah. You're right. We already knew everything they told us from using the extendable..."

POP!

Ed jumped at the sound, and swore to himself. They had to have seen the movement.

"OUCH"

"Keep your voice down Ron..or mom'll be back up here." A new voice...the twins!

"You apporated right on my knees!" Ron hissed.

"Yeah..well..its harder in the dark. That Ed over there?"

There were the creaking sound of springs. Like footsteps on a mattress.

"So? Get there yet?" FredorGeorge said.

"The weapon Sirius mentioned?" Harry said

"Let slip, more like. We didn't hear that on the extendables, that's for sure." FredorGeorge said.

"What do you think it is?" Harry said

"Could be anything" FredorGeorge said

"But there's nothing worse than the avada kadavra curse is there? What's worse than death?" Ron said.

"Maybe its something that can kill loads of people?" FredorGeorge said.

"Maybe its a particularly painful way of killing people" Ron said fearfully.

"He's got the cruciatus curse for torturing people already, Ron. He doesn't need anything more efficient than that." Harry said.

There was a pause, and Ed was considering joining in, but then...

"So who'd you think has it now?" FredorGeorge said.

"I hope it's our side."Ron said.

"If it is, Dumbledore's probably keeping it." FredorGeorge said.

"Where?" Ron said."Hogwarts?"

"Bet it is!" FredorGeorge said."That's where he hid the Sorcerer's Stone!"

Ed took a sharp intake of breath.

'The stone's here?!? One this side???' Ed thought.

Ed threw off the blankets, and sat up quicker than his pounding head liked.

"Da stone! Tell me about it!" Ed demanded.

In the dim light of the room, he could make out the vague shapes of the four turn to look at him.

"You vere vorried about a veapon. De stone could be the verst veapon you could ever imagine. Vhere is dis stone?!?"

"Destroyed. Four years back." Harry stated.

Ed sighed in relief, and looked away.

"Not a real one. Hate to think of what would happen if they knew how to make one." Ed said softly in Amestrian.

He looked again over at the four.

"Shhhh! Listen." FredorGeorge said, half rising from one of the beds.

They fell silent. Footsteps were coming up the stairs.

"Mum." Said FredorGeorge.

Without further ado, there was a POP! And two of the shadows disappeared from Ed's view. A few seconds later, there was a creek outside the door. Ed thought it was Mrs. Weasley, checking in on her charges. He snorted and folded his arms. As soon as he heard her footsteps move away from the door, he scooted himself back down under the covers. Sleep swept over him like a wave, and for once, he welcomed it.


	9. Coffee Strong Black

A/N: Ed's accent IS changing. There is a good reason why it's there in the first place. It has to do with practice. In the anime, when he was in England, the only person he spoke with was Hohemheim, thus, he didn't know English, really. I hope some people noticed that at the end of this chapter. I happen to like the accent myself. Makes it easy to label his speaking without, um, labels. I will be missing it. Enjoy!

Now I go back to research...which consists of listening to "brothers" by vic mignogna, and the bunches of FMA cds I have.(Can't find what the !# I did with the CoS movie CD. Oh well.), and of course, dog earing the HP:OoP book to death. Fun!

* * *

Harry awoke from a particularly odd dream that he only half remembered, something having to do with many legged, hairy things changing into something like cannons and marching on Hogwarts. The rest of it was fuzzy in detail. He rubbed his sleep bleared eyes and blinked against the light of morning. He saw a flash of red, and grabbed his glasses off the side table. Slipping them on, he saw his best friend, Ron, raising to sit up in the bed across from him yawn hugely.

"Morn'n" Ron mumbled, as he rubbed one sleep filled eye. Harry smiled.

'Still here.' He thought.

Then he heard the oddest sound. Soft..nearly frantic mumbles in an unfamiliar language. Soft whomps at ramdom intervals. He lifted his head and looked for its source. Across the room was the conjured bed that he knew Ed had been in the night before. Upon it were heaped numerous colorful quilts, cocooned about a thrashing body.

Whump!

Harry was sure that was a leg, striking out under those quilts. Harry glanced at Ron. He could tell he was thinking the same thing.

'Nightmare.'

"Blimey, should we wake 'im?" Ron said.

POP!

"Morning!" Fred and George beamed as they apporated between Ron and Harry, both standing on the floor this time.

There came a soft cry, nearly a wail, from that bundle of quilts. Fred and George immediately turned and looked, then exchanged michevious grins.

"No. Don't.." Harry began.

Fred and George ignored him, and walked to stand at the end of Ed's bed. They both carefully grabbed the quilts by the edges...then, as one, gave a hearty pull. Off came all the quilts, revealing a still sleeping Ed, laying on his left side. Tears leaking from the corners of his closed eyes. As he watched, Harry could see Ed twitch both his hands. Then a foot. He noted that Ed was still dressed in the colorful sweater and long pants that were on loan from the Weasleys...

'Ron's old clothes. From first year, come to think of it.' Harry thought.

Fred and George dropped the quilts to the floor. One of them rubbed the back of his head.

Ed twitched his head and mumbled again in his language.

"Like a log, isn't he?" One of them mumbled.

The other looked over to Ron, and mouthed a word. Harry didn't know what it was, until Ron reached behind himself and tossed it over with a frown on his face. Now armed with the fluffy weapon, Fred or George, Harry wasn't sure which, carefully creeped behind the sleeping Ed. He raised the pillow over his head by the corners, and with a wide grin plastered on his face, quickly brought his arms down.

WHOMP!

Before the soft blow landed, Ed's golden eyes snapped open and he was a blur as he rolled on the bed and kicked off wildly, making an effective flying leap away. He landed heavily on his backside, nearly on top of Ron in his bed. As he slid down the side of Ron's bed, Harry saw that Ed's arms were even up in that odd martial arts pose. He blinked bleary, sleep filled eyes at all of them.

Harry raised his eyesbrows. He heard a whistle of appreciation from Ron.

"Vha...?" Ed croaked.

Harry saw then that Ed's brain turned on a few seconds later, as he lowered his arms, and scowled at the pillow holding culprit. Harry believed the effect of the scowl just had to be ruined by the sight of sleep mussed, golden unruly bangs and braid, because the twins only grinned in response.

"Mom says get up, your breakfast is in the kitchen and she need you in the drawing room. There are loads more of doxies than she thought and she's found a nest of dead duffskeins under the sofa. oh...and Mom wants to check your neck before they begin, Ed." George or Fred said.

The twins then walked to the door, unlatched it, and opened it.

"You know..it wouldn't be a SMALL feat...

"..helping us clean out this...

Ed nearly jumped off Ron's bed, but Ron held him back from attacking his brothers, grappling him with his arms by his waist. Harry could see his eyes widen with surprise, as if he couldn't believe he was managing it himself as Ed vigorously struggled against his firm hold.

"VHO'S THE TINY RICE GRAIN YOU CAN'T SEE UNDER SHRIMPY ATOM-SIZED DUST SPECK?!?" Ed roared at the last, panting in his unspent fury.

Harry could only palm his face. He could hear the pictures in the hall coming awake and screaming at all of them already.

* * *

Ed stomped down the stairs, still angry at the twins, and he wasn't particularly caring which one had gone and called him "short". His head still pounded, telling him he was far from recovered, but his stomach was grumbling enough for him to try to eat something. He was about half way down when he noticed the things on the wall for the first time. Especially the things along the top of the wall. He slowed his steps, looking up. There were plaques up there, clearly meant to proudly show off their contents. The things looked like heads of creatures he had never seen before.

"Some kind of..chimera..?" Ed whispered in Amestrian, and blinked. Pointed ears. Long noses. Human-based face. He visually discected each one, thinking of at least three animals mingled together with a human being that could make the same results, but only once, not over and over again.

'Who are these people that they would do this...' Ed thought, horrified of the answer. 'They all seemed so kind. But for them to be capable of such depraved alchemy....'

"Oh. So you noticed them. Awful of them, isn't it?" Hermione's voice whispered to him near his right, and he looked at her, forcing his face to be nuetral. "I believe House elves deserve to be treated better than that, you know?" she said.

"Yeah." He barely managed, his throat so tight.

She smiled a sweet smile and headed up the stairs with a slight toss of her bushy brown hair over her shoulder.

Ed blinked. He swallowed back his bile and continued on to the kitchen. Harry and Ron hurried past him once he entered. He sat down at the table and forced some bread down his gut, and followed it up with some orange juice. Everything else thoroughly revolted him.

He found a mug and poured himself some coffee, feeling like he desperately needed some liquid sunshine. Then he sat for some time, savoring the dark bitter liquid.

A loud clanging bell sounded, followed at once by a cacophany of screams and wails. He jumped at the sounds, and got up from his seat at the table. He was at the kitchen door when he realised he was still carrying the mug in his right metal hand. Dark coffee still steaming. He shrugged and opened the door.

The wails and screams seemed to be coming from the age darkened pictures all along the stair well, the loudest about door sized and flanked by moth eaten curtains. It contained an image of a old woman. Skin yellowed with age and stretched tight on her skeleton and yet sagging. What he could see of the image told him it moved.

At the moment, it screamed, "Stains of dishonor, filthy half-breeds, blood traitors, children of filth..!"

Ed tilted his head and brought his mug up to his lips. He watched as Sirius rushed down the stairs, yelled at each of the pictures to "Shut the hell up!" mostly, saving his most scathing curses for the old woman's image before he jerked the curtains closed. Then the man rushed to the door at the end of the hall.

Ed walked to the curtained over, door-sized picture and stood before it.

"Hestia's just relieved me, so she's got Moody's cloak now, thought I'd leave a report for Dumbledore..." A deep voice said. Ed recognised it as the man called "Shacklebolt".

"Oh. Edward. There you are. You were supposed...Is that..COFFEE?..you're drinking?" Sirius said in a whisper.

Ed snorted and took another sip, letting a smirk show on his face. He then glanced at Sirius's incredulous face.

"Is it so surprising?" Ed said, voice normal volume, and turned his eyes back to the pictures. "Vhat's vith dees tings? Are dey teevees or something?"

The curtains parted by themselves and picture before him began screaming again. Joined by the others, the noise was truly great. Sirius was in motion at once, yelling and screaming at each picture frame to get them silent. Ed stepped back to let him do so, but otherwise calmly observed, sipping his coffee. Sirus was soon joined by the sickly looking man called Lupin, who stumbled his way down the stairs.

The woman in the picture looked at Ed. He was sure of it. He held her gaze, coffee mug at his lips.

"YOoooooUuu! NOt even a filthy mudblood! a MUGGLE?? That blood traitor! How dare he defile the home of my noble ancestors..."

Ed's chuckle was nearly just an exhalation, but he smirked his lips just the same. Lupin and Sirius were on either side of the picture tugging desperately at the curtains, trying to close them with all their might. Sirus even yelled at the top of his lungs at the image. Ed lowered his mug, and put his hand on the much bigger man's shoulder. Gently moving him aside. He then reached out to the image and placed his bare left hand on it, and closed his eyes.

"WHAT ARE YOU..?" The man yelled, both in anger and to be heard over the noise.

The woman in the image screamed something about "DAMN DIRTY HANDS...!"

Ed ignored them, and looked inward, searching for the structure of the clearly hated image. It took but seconds, but he knew what it was. His stomach dropped sightly and he swallowed back more bile. He opened his eyes and looked at the woman in the picture, who was screaming incoherently at him in her rage.

"Enough." He said simply, voice low. Face scowling slightly. "I know vhat you are."

The woman's face looked at him, it turned into a particularly horrible looking sneer.

She screamed."Flith! Scum! Dirty MUGGLE!!!" And other things he didn't bother to pay attention to.

"I am not having words in English. It is badly made, vorking hardly at all, but it vat is keeping you here. It is being on other side of you, and you are part of wall. Even so, it is well in my ability to be reaching it." Ed said, and calmly sipped his coffee.

"Lying Flith! Scum! Dirty MUGGLE!!!..."

"Just one scratch...and you loose all. I do not need to be able of using dis ..."

Ed wrinkled his nose in disgust in spite of himself.

"...'magic'...to do it." Ed said.

"!!!" The woman in the image collapsed to her knees. If she had had blood, it would have drained from her face.

"You vill be quiet in my presence. Do ve have equivalence?"

"How long will you be here FILTHY MUGGLE scum?"

"I have someting of a headache. If you are staying quiet, it vill be letting me leave your noble home much more faster."

"GET. OUT. OF. MY. SIGHT!!!" the woman shouted.

Ed took a step back, and nodded to Sirius, who closed the moth eaten curtains. Easily. Without Lupin's help. Sirus turned and smiled once he was done. Ed glanced and him and then down.

"Do not get vrong idea, dis was not for you."

He tipped his head back and finished off his coffee in one gulp. As hot as it was, he nearly scalded his tongue. He grimmaced and closed his eyes but a moment. Then headed back to the kitchen, intent on filling his cup once more.

Behind him, he heard Sirius laugh. And it turned his stomach.

* * *

Harry looked about and thought that they had done a good job of cleaning this room. There were buckets of knocked out doxies, and a bowl of their eggs over by the curtains that they had infested. Curtains that werw now free of their buzzing.

The clanging doorbell rang again, and the portraits that lined the wall were strangely silent. Everyone in the drawing room looked at Mrs. Weasley.

"Stay here. I'll bring up some sandwiches." She said, and left the room. At once everyone rushed over to the window and looked down, to see who had arrived for a visit. They saw a ginger headed man below, with his arms precariously full with large dark pots.

"Mundungus." Hermione said

"What's with the cauldrons?" Ron asked

"Probably looking for a place to hide them. Isn't that what he was supposed to have some dealings with? When he was supposed to be looking after me? Something about dodgy cauldrons..?" Harry said.

"Yeah you're right. Mum's not going to like this." Fred or George said. As they watched, the man teetered to the side, and disappeared from their view. Entering the house.

Fred and George ran to the door, and put their ears against it. "Mungdungus is talking to Sirius and Kingsley. Think we should risk the extendables?"

At that moment, there was an explosion of sound that made the ears quite unnecessary. They all could clearly hear Mrs. Weasley shouting at the top of her lungs.

"WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDE OUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!!!"

Fred opened the door just a crack.

"I love hearing someone else getting yelled at by mum. It makes for such a nice change." George said with a slight, satisfied smile on his face.

"The idiots are letting her get into her stride though. She'll be at it for hours now." Fred said, and made to close the door. But before he managed to do so, a house elf edged into the room.

Except for the filthy rag wrapped around it's middle, it was completely naked. It looked very old. it's skin seemed severl times too big for it, and thought it was bald like all house elves, white hair stuck out of his large, bat like ears. It had large blood shot, watery grey eyes and it's nose was rather snout like. It was also favoring his right leg with a pronounced limp, hardly able to walk on it at all.

He took not notice of them, and doggedly walked to the far end of the room. Muttering to itself loudly about "Filthy muggle. Mudbloods. Werewolves and criminals..."

"Hello Kreacher." Fred said, and closed the door with a loud snap. The old elf made a pronounced, and unconvincing, start of surprise, and hobbled around to face them.

"Kreacher did not see young Master." and the old elf bowed unsteadily. While his face was to the carpet,"Nasty little brat of a blood traitor it is."

"Oh. no." Hermione breathed, then practically ran to the old house elf side. She knelled down beside him. She then looked up at each of them. "We need to treat his leg. Don't you see? It's broken."

"Good. Looks like Ed got someone else." Fred or George commented.

"..Besides us, that is."

"He had good reason, you gits. Kreacher did attack him in the bathroom. And if you'd just stop apporating all over the place...!" Ginny said.

"We can't just..let it stay like this..! It's cruel..." Hermione said.

"The Mud-blood is talking to Kreacher as though she were my friend, if Kreacher's mistress saw him in such company, oh what would she say..."

"Don't call her a Mud-blood!" Ron and Ginny called out together, very angrily.

"It doesn't matter. He's not in his right mind, and he doesn't know what he's saying..."Hermione said

"Don't kid yourself. He knows EXACTLY what he's saying." George said, eyeing Kreacher with great dislike.

"What do you want anyway?" Fred said to Kreacher.

Kreacher's eyes darted to Fred.

"Kreacher is cleaning." Kreacher said evasively.

"A likely story" Said a voice behind Harry.

Sirius had come back; he was glowering at the elf from the doorway. At the sight of Sirius, Kreacher flung himself into a ridiculously low bow that flattened his long nose against the carpet.

"Stand up straight." Sirius said impatiently. "Lets get a look at you."

Siruis then went to Kreachers side and carefully handled the favored leg with his fingers. After a few moments, he sighed and sat back.

"Set it yourself, did you? "

"Kreacher remains useful to Master, though he was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart..." Kreacher said.

"My mother had no heart. She kept herself alive out of pure spite. What were you up to?" Sirius said.

"Kreacher is cleaning." Kreacher insisted.

Kreacher's face then twisted itself into a hateful scowl, eyes fixated at the doorway. Harry looked over. Standing there with Lupin, was Ed.

"Interrupting anything important?" Lupin asked.

"Not really...Kreacher. This is Edward Elric. He is a GUEST. You will treat him as such, is that clear?" Sirius said.

"Kreacher is ever loyal to the House of Black. Though it is now filled with the worst filth, scum and Mugglery..."

"Enough. Now go away, Kreacher." Sirius said.

Kreacher limped out, but not without leveling a gaze filled with loathing at Sirius. Ed watched him go with the most curious expression on his face. Harry wasn't sure what to make of it. It was a mixture of pity and sadness, yet there was a calculating quality to it as well. He noticed a crisp, clean white bandage taped at the front of his neck that Ed was trying, yet not, to scratch at with his left hand.

Sirius looked over at Lupin and stood. Hermione followed suit, blushing slightly at her cheeks as she did so.

"Come to help out?" FredorGeorge asked.

"Um. No. Sorry. I'm giving Edward the sickle tour." Lupin said. He looked over at the bucket by the window, and whistled. "That's quite the lot of..moxies?"

"That's not the worst of it. We're tackling the cabinet next." Ron said, nose crinkled at the thought.

"Remember to stay away from the writing desk. Least until Moody gives it a good look. Knowing my mother, she probably had something pretty nasty put in there, and I don't want anyone hurt." Sirius said.

"Don't worry." Ron said, as he glanced at the locked up desk. Even now, it occasionally jerked as the mystery thing inside struggled to get out.

Ed entered the room, gold eyes moving slowly about. He cocked his head to the side when he spotted the bucket by the curtain, and he walked over to it. He crouched down. Then gave a quick glanced at the bowl beside it. He then looked up at the curtains, eyes narrowed.

"Vhy?" Ed asked softly, his voice angry. And glanced over his shoulder at each of them. The same odd expression on his face. "Vhy..?"

"Ed..? They're moxies. They're...pests, really. Like...um..cockroaches." Hermione said brightly.

Ed's eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed. "Cockvroaches..." He glanced down to the bucket again, then stood up. "I can see dat in dem. Vhy anyone would do dis..." He sighed, turned and looked to Sirius. "Your mother..vas it she who did the making of these tings, and the house elfs, too?"

Harry blinked at that question. Ed crossed his arms, gazing steadily at Sirius, who was also blinking at the question.

"My mother was truly an awful person. But I assure you, she did not..um..make..either moxies or house elves." Sirius rubbed the back of his head.

Ed's face scrunched in confusion, then hardened to something unreadable.

"You really are of muggle stock .."

"...if you don't know that." FredorGeorge said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"Shut it you gits." Ginny grumbled, and cross her arms.

"I know I didn't know about them until I started at Hogwarts." Harry said, feeling really bad for Ed just then, and wanting to let him know he wasn't alone in his assumptions, however wrong they might be.

"Oh! There's this book that'll clear all this up! I'll happy to lend it to you!" Hermione said.

Ed looked at her, and his face softened slightly at the mere mention of a book. She blushed, and her smile widened.

'Great. Bookworm meets bookworm.' Harry thought. He glanced at Ron in time to see him frown.

"Come on, Edward. We have the rest of the house to see." Lupin said. Ed nodded a slight nod, and stepped out into the hall. He gave one last glimpse over his shoulder at them before Lupin closed the door.

"Odd one, isn't he?" Sirius said, as he turned towards them with a mischeivious grin.

"He's talking more than he did in that class, but I just don't get him. He was acting..um...more like I think a really, really smart muggle would. Now..?" Harry shrugged.

"What do you mean by 'really, really smart muggle' ?" Hermione asked.

"He spent all his free time at the library. Always with these...huge dusty books. Mostly for math and science. Stuff I couldn't even recognise except by the cover titles. Even worked on correcting some of them. He said for the fun of it." Harry said.

"That's just not natural. Spending all summer in a library!?! It's..just DEAD wrong." Ron said, clearly meaning every word.

Harry grinned at him.

"Why you reckon'd he reacted the way he did last night?" Ron said softer, scowling a bit.

'He tends to mutter in that language of his when he's annoyed.' Harry thought to himself, remembering the shadowy shape that was Ed last night. The body language. The slumping of shoulders as he delivered the news of the breaking of the socercers stone. It fit.

"Yeah that. Like he was annoyed it was destroyed or something.." Harry said, and he bit his lip in thought.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"We mentioned the Sorcercer's Stone in passing." Fred said

"He demanded to be told where it was." George said.

* * *

They were at the third level of the house standing at a doorway. Ed could smell the straw and dead things even from this distance.

"I assure you that none of us made this creature, Edward. Harry and Sirius are really fond of it. Want to give it a good look?" Lupin said.

Ed grabbed the door handle and turned it. Slowly, he opened the door, and peeked his head around it. He stood so still for several minutes that Lupin placed hand on his left shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. Ed looked back at the sickly looking man.

"Chimera" Ed said in Amesteran, voice flat, nearly spitting it out.

"It's called a hippogryph, actually. Named Buckbeak."

"No. I've..seen..." Ed said in English, shook his head, and blinked. "but..They moved very vrong. Dis one..iz not in pain at da least." Ed looked back. Then he took a step in the room.

"Wait. I..can't go in there with you."

"Vhy?"

"I have this..condition...Buckbeak dislikes the smell so much he attacks me on sight."

"Fine. I've faced bigger than dis vone. I vant to see more of it vith mine own eyes."

"'Bigger...than this one?'"

"Yeah. Easy. Some vith teeth as big as mine hand."

"Molly will have my hide if you get hurt."

Ed grinned brightly at him, and then turned away. He creeped softly forward so as to not startle the beast. It was about as large as a lion, and was in fact, very much lion-like in the body. Huge wings were folded neatly on either side of its body. And the head..covered in feathers. Ed could see that was not the only thing bird like about the beast. Where the lion's mouth should have been, was a proud raptor's beak.

The creature moved so naturally, gracefully..he couldn't believe his own eyes. His mind still screamed it was but a chimera. A thing made by deranged scientists using the most depraved alchemy in existence. Even the most advanced of chimeras...

The creature snorted, and looked at him. He held its gaze. The creature cocked its head and approached him. Sniffed the air before him.

"Whatever you do..Be polite..!" Lupin called from behind the door.

"Polite? Vha..?" Ed said.

The creature reared up, and Ed reacted without thinking. The huge raptor beak came down, blinding quick. Ed brought up his right arm in a block ingrained into him from childhood.

Clank!!

"You alright?"

Ed regarded the huge beak now knawing on the borrowed sweater upon his metal arm. Right in front of his face.

"Yeah. Dis Buckbeak can't get good taste. Haz vrong arm." Ed said, and grunted as Buckbeak shifted his weight. "Iz heavy. Needz to be dieting."

"Can you get loose?" Lupin's said, voice full of alarm. Ed rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. Easy. Harry vill not be pleased if dis creature vrilly iz favorite."

"Why's that?"

"I vill break quite a few of Buckbeak's bones. Starting vith left ribs..."

The huge beak suddenly released him, and Ed stumbled back a step. He watched the hippogryph with wary eyes, and was watched in turn. Then, before Ed could make a move, the creature lowered the front of it body. Tucking one fore foot under.

"What's happening?"

Ed blinked.

"Don't know. Iz odd. Arm's free, though."

Ed backed away from the creature, and reached behind him for the door. With his left hand, he found the snake shaped doorknob by feel easily enough, and opened it. He backed into the hall, and closed the door. He heard a whistle.

"That sweater's seen better days." Lupin smiled.

Ed looked down at the right sleeve, knowing well what he would find. Sure enough, the colorful sleeve was now in shreads. His right automail arm was exposed. He tore off what was left of the sleeve, with a smirk on his face.

"Molly's going to kill me..." Lupin whined, and looked down the hall as if expecting the woman to decend on him at any moment.

"Iz better like dis. Show off VWinry's vork, no?" Ed smiled.

"Winry?"

"De one vho made dis." Ed did a series of isolation exercises focusing on the right arm. "She's alvays does de best automail. Does her family proud."

Ed looked down a moment, remembering. He stopped moving his right arm.

'Will she even remember me when I get back...? Then will we be...? ' he thought.

"Can I ask you something?" Lupin said.

"Depends on if you vwant lies as answer." Ed smiled, and looked at the sickly man.

Lupin smirked. Then looked down.

"What happened? I mean, how did you loose your...?" Lupin waved his hand in a gesture towards Ed's now exposed right arm.

Ed nodded, and sighed. He looked at the sickly man's kind eyes, and made his decision.

"It was stupid mistake dat I do not vwant to be talking about."

'Why am I even saying that much?' Ed wondered to himself. He looked at Lupin, sharply. The sickly man nodded once, seeming to be accepting the bland, half-explaination at face value. Ed could only hope it would do.


	10. Distractions and calculations

A/N: Ed centric chapter..you'll see why...

* * *

Ed discovered he literally couldn't open the front door. He was quick to remind them all that he was still the unwilling guest of the house when he tried to punch straight through it with his right. The door withstood his best blows, and he would have continued with his left leg, and even tried against the wall, if Lupin hadn't pulled him away.

Afterward, he just sat on the stairs, looking at nothing. He wanted to DO something, but his aching head fuzzed up his thinking enough that his mind flaked out more often than he'd like. He knew it made performing any alchemy too dangerous a risk to take. Which, in turn, meant he was stuck.

He found he was largely excused from cleaning the house by Mrs. Weasley, both due his concussion and the burn at his neck. He knew she thought she was being kind, but a big part of him told him something else.

"Convienent of her. Ignoring the fact that I am essentially a prisoner.." He muttered in Amestrian, and wrinkled his nose in his distaste, knowing the words were harsh for the motherly woman, but rung true none-the-less. At the time, he bitterly looked at the front door again and toyed with the idea of giving it another go.

He barely tolerated the nearly hourly changing the bandage apparently needed. He loudly insisted he could do so himself, but each time was firmly told, "NO." by the various people tasked with the chore. At times, it was Mrs. Weasley. But Remus (not "Lupin" he reminded himself) and Sirius also took turns. They each always slavered a thick layer of a smelly cream on his neck that looked like it had no firm color at all, right before the new bandage was applied and duly taped in place.

He was aching to get a good look at the burn in the mirror. (Dammit, it itched like hell. He knew how to handle pain, but ITCHING? It was just so... maddening!) He often made a quick visits to the bathroom to do just that, and found he couldn't get a good grip on the tape at all. So far, he managed to give up rather than tearing into his own skin, but having his neck all bloody was increasingly becoming a real temptation.

The lack of good reading material was driving him to distraction nearly as much as the itching at his neck. Hermione had been good on her word and had let him borrow the thick book called, 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them', but it was hardly a challenge at all. He'd finished it and returned it to her within an hour. He nearly laughed aloud at its contents. The only things he considered useful bits were the ones that mentioned things he found disturbing about the "Ministry"; Things that were considered essential to the continued existance of such creatures. As he wandered about the house, he often saw more objects run off on their own, fleeing before Sirius and Harry's attempts to clear them out.

'Did they HAVE to put blood seals on EVERYTHING...?' He thought, finding himself staring. 'Just how many idiots ARE there in this 'wizarding world'?'

He met Harry's joy-filled eyes and just shook his head. Walking away rather than mention anything about it. He didn't want to ruin Harry's joy after what he had witnessed Harry endure at his uncle's place.

When he sat on the stairs, he saw that people came and went. All doing things for the "Order". Often, the people would try to ask him questions, or strike up polite conversation with him when he wandered by. Some even tried to get him to join them for the meetings; he shook his head and walked away when he heard such requests. He had better things to do than that.

He learned the name of the Greasy Hair man was 'Severus Snape' when he stopped by for a quick visit, but he didn't speak with him. He offered a polite nod at the man from where he was sitting on the stairs at the time, which was, however slight and stiff, returned. When he went to the room he shared with Ron and Harry for the night, he found he was pestered for any and all news he happened to overhear while he was downstairs. Not just by those two, but by the twins, Hermione, and Ginny. He saw jealous stares, and incredulous looks from them all. He shrugged them off, trying very hard NOT to scratch at his neck as he flopped to the mattress and drifted off to sleep.

One day drifted into the next. Ed was as often as not rudely awakened by the twin's pranks or "short" taunts, which they had discovered, to their amusement no doubt, worked just as well as a pillow attack to wake him. So far, someone was always around to hold him back from beating them both bloody every morning they chose to do so. He hated to think of what he was capable of when he was barely conscience like that...in that state of mind. Let alone unconscious.

'The twins probably wouldn't survive, or be recognisable as being human at one time once I was done with them. Or finally woke up enough to make myself stop.' He mused darkly. 'Al would've...no..don't go there. Not now...I don't need to be thinking of him right now.' He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his left hand. 'I miss him...'

Though he was practically climbing the walls with his boredom, (It wasn't THAT bad an idea...he had considered it, but decided the ceiling was too low to be a real challenge...) his headache ebbed away within a week. And the itching on his neck diminished to a tolerable level a few days after.

He was absently rubbing at the bandage, enjoying his morning coffee, when the balding red-headed Mr. Weasley joined him at the table.

"Morning Edward." Mr Weasley said cheerfully, with a bright smile on his face.

Ed nodded in his general direction, and leaned his chin on his left hand. Coffee mug and its precious contents held firmly in his gleaming metallic right. He was in yet another borrowed, colorful, long sleeved sweater, and borrowed long pants. He hadn't bothered to braid his long hair today, choosing, instead to pull it back into a ponytail.

"No cheer before I get trew first cup, please." Ed grumbled.

Ed heard a slight nervous laugh from the man, and scowled slightly.

"Fair enough." Mr. Weasley coughed into his fist, and began with a polite "How are you doing today?"

Ed glared at the man.

"Get to point, Sunshine. VWhat do you vwant?"

"Well, um..." Mr. Weasley said.

Ed raised a single eyebrow.

"It's not me, actually. Um...Dumbledore wishes to meet you."

"Vwhy?"

"You'll have to ask him, I'm afraid." Mr. Weasley said.

Ed scowled.

"I have no vwish to meet dis Dumbledore. I vwant to get back..." Ed nearly said it out loud. Then changed his mind. " ..to my life."

Mr. Weasley sighed, and looked down a moment.

"I know how you feel.."

Ed snorted. "Do not make me laugh." Ed growled and took a gulp of his steaming coffee.

"I meant to say that I know you're angry at this whole situation you're in. But believe me, it was necessary. All of it. You have no idea..."

"I have good idea what dis is really about, Mr. Sunshine. Tell dis Dumbledore I vill not meet vith him."

"Edward.."

Ed got up from the table, and walked away, leaving behind his precious coffee in its mug. He was just past the door of the kitchen when something landed on the top of his head. He blinked, and he glimpsed what looked like a barn owl swoop down and land on the stair rail just ahead of him.

"You better not have just spit up on me, bird." Ed grumbled in Amestrian, as he reached up his left hand. The owl looked at him with it yellow eyes and clicked its beak.

It was an envelope. A rather large, yellow envelope. It wasn't very thick; it maybe, at best, contained a single sheet of paper. On the front, where the address should be, was just his name.

'Hand written by the looks of it.'He thought.  
He flipped it over. On the back the envelope flap was sealed closed by a large wax seal, at the center of which was a large capital "H". Curious, he cracked the seal and opened the envelope.

The letter read as this:

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Surpreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Elric,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Students shall be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival, the date for which shall be duly advised.

Please ensure that the utmost attention be made to the list of requirement attached herewith.

We very much look forward to receiving you as a part of the new generation of Hogwarts' heritage.

Sincerely.

Albus Dumbledore.

He didn't bother to read the rest, but in spite of himself, Ed cracked wide smile as he folded it back up.

"You gotta be kidding me!! School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Ed said in Amestrian, then snorted, and shook his head. "Well. At least now I have some paper to get to work on the equations."

Intent on doing just that, he headed back upstairs. Once there he headed to the room he shared with Ron and Harry, and to his complete annoyance, he couldn't find a thing to write with. He folded the envelope and stuffed it into the back pocket of his borrowed pants, and went to go search another room.  
He went from one room to another, (interrupted by the annoying hourly bandage changes) ended up searching all day, and still found nothing. Only when he stomped down back into the kitchen for dinner, did he find something that vaguely resembled a writing utensil: A quill and ink bottle. They were stashed over by the hearth. At that point he really didn't care. He'd have even been happy with half-melted crayons.

With a cry of victory he grabbed them and settled into a seat at the table.

"Not at the dinner table!" Mrs. Weasley said, and deftly took them away. He graced her with his most furious scowl, but she pretended she didn't notice. She then placed before him a bowl of rich stew, which he promptly devoured. He even helped himself to seconds when his stomach rumbled noisily enough that the twins laughed at him from across the table.

The table was cleared, and he dutifully took his turn washing the dishes. Manually. Ignoring the stares and raised eyebrows as he did so, simply refusing Mrs. Weasley's offer to magic up something like automatic dish washing brushes. To him, it was simply faster to wash the way he was used to. Soon, he found himself alone once more in the kitchen.  
He dried off his mismatched hands on a handy rag, and found the quill and ink. He settled himself once more at the table, and took out the envelope. He unfolded the paper to its blank side, and soon lost himself in the hum of alchemy. It's most basic of equations flowing though his mind like music, just waiting for him to coax out complex melodies.

He didn't notice the others entering the kitchen. He felt a hand on his left shoulder breifly, and he brushed it off with a flick of the quill and an annoyed half-growl. He soon reached the end of the page and flipped it over, continuing on in the blank spaces of the letter. He took out the envelope, tore it open, and continued ever on in what space he had availible. Then finally, he had to stop, as there was simply no more paper to work on.

"Tsk. Haven't even got a quarter of it calculated...Must be losing my touch.." He grumbled in Amestrian.

He put down the quill after a tap or two, and began to check his work carefully from the beginning for mistakes, rubbing at his neck bandage absently with his left living hand. After a few moments, he put the papers down completely with a disgusted bang of his metal right hand, entwined his mismatched fingers together before him, and stretched both his arms over his head. Then..he blinked.

He was not alone at the table. Not anymore.

He raised an eyebrow, and hooked his hands behind his head, looking at each person steadily. He noted that he knew most of them already, as he had seen them come and go over the past week or so. He noted that Severus Snape was not in attendance. Nor was Moody.

An old man, with a long white beard long enough to tuck into his belt noisily cleared his throat. Ed flicked his eyes in his direction, meeting and holding the blue eyes behind half moon glasses.

"Edward Elric, I presume? I have recently heard so much about you from members of the Order, but it is good to finally meet you for myself. I am Albus Dumbledore."

Ed had to blink again. The man spoke to him in flawless Amestrian.


	11. Convincing the unwilling

A/N: Regurge alert..! Not much changed in the trial...YET!!!

* * *

An old man, with a long white beard long enough to tuck into his belt noisily cleared his throat. Ed flicked his eyes in his direction, meeting and holding the blue eyes behind half moon glasses.

"Edward Elric, I presume? I have recently heard so much about you from members of the Order, but it is good to finally meet you for myself. I am Albus Dumbledore."

Ed nodded a slow nod.

"You speak the language well, Mr Dumbledore." Ed said carefully, in Amestrian, and lowered his hands back to the table. "I can only assume you want something from me if you went to so much trouble."

"I assure you it is nothing, Mr. Elric. I learned the language from a good friend a long time ago, when I was engaged in some rather difficult research. I have to admit that I was quite surprised to hear it again in this very room, and from someone who appears as young as yourself."

Someone in the room cleared their throat. Noisily. Ed flicked his eyes and saw that it was Tonks, a fist covering her mouth in an unconvincing manner. She winked at him, and smiled.

"Ahem. Shall we continue this conversation in English, Mr Elric?" Dumbledore said, in English.

Ed settled his golden eyes back to Dumbledore.

"I vill...listen...to vhat you have to say." He said carefully, and narrowed his eyes slightly at the man.

Dumbledore's eyes flicked at moment to the paper on the table that Ed had been working his calculations on, but his face did not change expression.

"As you know, I am the headmaster of Hogwarts. A school that excels in the teaching of the magical arts. I am also the founder of this organization that is headquartered in this house, the use of which was generously offered to us by the last of the Blacks."

"Sirius." Ed said, and nodded in the man's direction.

"Yes. That is quite right. Do you know why I started such an organization? Why I went through such..as you put it..trouble, when I already had enough responisibilty as Headmaster of Hogwarts?"

Ed shrugged. "Iz imaginary school. Running it must not being much of challenge."

That earned Ed several sharp looks. From everyone but Dumbledore. The man merely smiled at Ed.

"I assure you that the school is indeed real, Mr. Elric. As is the danger I founded the Order to guard against. You now bear a burn on your neck that provides all the proof you should ever need of the existence of such danger."

"Vhat of it?"

"That mark on your neck is the result of a rare allergic reaction to the touch of a dementor, an allergic reaction only found in Muggles. Last known record of such a reaction happened in 1943 when a rogue dementor attacked a small village located in Germany to feed. You do know what a dementor is, Mr. Elric? Specifically, what one looks like?"

Ed blinked a few times, looked down and rubbed absently at his bandage with his left hand.

"I am told ve were attacked by two. I am not remembering much."

"Could you tell me what you do remember?"

"I vaz in the air...I could baresly zee Harry right next to me. I..I could not breathe. My handz..de brushed againzt zomeztingz kold. Vezry kold...." He stopped a moment, closed his eyes. Gesturing a reach with both hands. He held them for a moment, then placed them back on the table. "I reacted to it, vaat ever it vas. Next I knew, I vas being helped back to my feet by a woman I did not know. I had de mother of all headaches and could not hold anything in my stomach." Ed looked back to Dumbledore. "Does dis have to do vith Harry? Dis hearing of his that is to be held by dis Ministry of yours?"

"Yes. Yes it does. Could you describe what you felt? After..the cold?"

Ed blinked.

"FELT? Vhat does dat haz to..?"

"It is quite important. Please if you would..?"

"Dis iz...."

"You said you reacted. You must have felt something..."

Ed glared at Dumbledore, and folded his arms across his chest.

"Tell me vaat feelz haz to do vith anyting first."

"If I do, it will color your testimony that I hope to use for Harry's defense."

Ed let out a breath through his nose. Then closed his eyes.

"Perhaps..it's something you've encountered before..?"

"Ye..NO! Stop it!" Ed slammed both fists to the table, realizing the man had slipped in the last question back to him in Amestrian. He then stood up. He felt someone's hand on his left shoulder, he jerked the touch off with a flinch and shot a glance to the offender. His eyes met the kind eyes of Remus.

"Calm down. Easy..." Remus said softly. Ed blinked. His first instinct was to throttle the man and throw him across the room. Instead he balled his hands into fists at his sides. "No one's here to hurt you. Ed..."

"Don't tell me I'm safe. I am not stupid. I know exactly vwhat I am here." Ed grumbled, then glared at Remus. Ed looked down and closed his eyes, fists shaking with his effort to control his temper. "There may not be chains on my vwrists, but I am prisoner."

"Is that what you think?" Mrs Weasley said.

"Is truth." Ed said in a low even voice. "Do not be insulting me by saying it's not."

"I believe that what you're feeling now, I'm afraid, is also an effect of the dementor's touch." Dumbledore said.

"Bullshit!" Ed said. "I can not open door to outside. That makes dis prison by any definition."

"He...does have a point." Sirius said, as he rubbed the side of his nose. "Think of how he was brought here, with no wand and all. Worse. Once he was here, we had no choice but to keep him here, mostly for Harry's sake. And. Of course, security reasons. Not exactly how one would treat a friend, now is it?" Sirus looked pointedly at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore ignored the man, and looked back to Ed. Ed golden eyes once again met the blue behind the halfmoon glasses.

"Edward. I understand that you... did... something that day. Could you, by chance, demonstrate it for me?"  
Dumbledore said.

Ed narrowed his eyes, instantly suspicious.

"Vhy?"

"Why? Isn't it obvious? Not only is it part of your testimony, but I wish to determine your future placement in Hogwarts. That is, should you choose to make use of it's...considerable resources."

"Iz school of..magic." Ed wrinkled his nose in distaste. "As you yourself have said. Vwhy vould I vwish to go to such a place?" Ed said, and folded his arms across his chest.

Dumbledore again glanced down at the paper before Ed, covered as it was with Ed's mathenmatical calculations and notations. Then to the dent in the wooden table..caused by Ed's metal right hand a few moments before.

"Perhaps we should discuss this matter at another time, Headmaster." This was a woman's voice. One that Ed hadn't heard before. He glanced over to place it with a face. standing next to Tonks was an older woman, with grey hair done up in a bun. Upon her nose rested a tiny pair of rectangular glasses. She was the only one at the table, besides himself, that did not wear some sort of robes. More like a woman's pantsuit. "A more..private...setting would be more appropriate for a prospective student's placement. Tends to...sooth the nerves."

Ed snorted, and looked back to Dumbledore.

"This is mostly certainly not a case of nervousness that we have standing before us, Minerva.." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes slightly at Ed. Then he blinked. "Mr. Elric, could you please...?" He waved his hand vaguely.

"I vil stand. I do not tink you have much more to say that I vill vant to be listening to.." Ed said.

"Very well. I realize I am asking much of you. For you to place trust in me in that I have Harry's best interest at heart. You, and perhaps your testimony, are to be key in his defense of this case against him. The case itself should be simple, but political issues that you surely are not aware of are interfering and seek to make a mockery of what should be a simple case of juvenile misuse of magic. Justified misuse of magic at that, as magic used in the defense of one's own life is most certainly allowed by law."

Dumbledore paused, seeing Ed's face was scrunched in thought.

"I am asking that you testify at his hearing on his behalf."

Moments passed in silence.

Then Ed eased himself to sit at the table once more.

* * *

Harry sat in the chair and the chains clinked ominously, but, thankfully did not move to restrain him.

Up above him on the high benches sat various wizards and witches, all looking down at him, as if he were a bug to be squashed. There were about fifty of them, all, as far as he could see, wearing plum colored robes with an elaborately embroidered "W" on the left hand side of their chests. He swallowed nervously.

'The Wizengamot', he thought. Feeling very under-dressed in his t-shirt, jeans, and ratty, but comfortable! shoes. Mrs. Weasley couldn't even get his cowlick on the top of his head to lay down properly that morning.

In the center of the front row sat the portly Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. On his left, sat a broad, square jawed witch with gray hair with a monocle, and on his right was another witch who sat so far back on the bench she sat in shadow.

"very well," said Fudge, "The accused being present--finally--let us begin. Are you ready?" he called dow the row.

"yes, sir" said an eager voice Harry knew as Percy, Ron's brother. 'ESTRANGED brother', he amended in his head. Remembering Ron telling him of the arguement Precy had had with his father.

"Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August," Said Fudge in a ringing voice, and Percy began taking notes at once. in to offenses committed under the Decree for the Resonable Restriction of Underaged Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

Iterrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic, Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Delores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley--"

"--Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," Said a quiet voice from behind Harry, who turned his head so fast he cricked his neck.

Dumbledore strode serenely across the room wearing long midnight-blue robes adn a perfectly calm expression. His long silver beard and hair gleamed in the torchlight as he drew level with Harry and looked up at Fudge through the half-moon spectacles that rested halfway down his very crooked nose.

The members of the Wizengamot were muttering. All eyes were now on Dumbledore, Some looked annoyed, others slightly frightened. As he watched, two elderly witches in the back waved a hello.

A powerful feeling gripped Harry at the sight of Dumbledore. It fortified him with hope. He wanted to catch Dumbledore's eye, but Dumbledore was not looking his way. Instead, he was looking up at the obviously flustered Fudge.

"Ah. Dumbledore. Yes. You, er, got our, er, message that the time and , er, place of the hearing had been changed, then?" Fudge said.

"I must have missed it." Said Dumbledore cheerfully. "However, due to a lucky mistake I arrived at the Ministry three hours early, so no harm done."

"Yes, well. I suppose we'll need another chair.."

"Not to worry, not to worry." Said Dumbledore pleasantly; he took out his wand, gave it a little flick, and a squashy shintzy armchair appeared out of nowhere next to Harry. Dumbledore sat down, put the tips of his long fingers together, and looked at Fudge over them with an expression of polite interest. The Wizengamot was still muttering and fidgeting restlessly; only when Fudge spoke again did they settle down.

"Yes, " said Fudge again, shuffling his notes. "Well, then So. The charges. Yes."

He extracted a piece of parchment from the pile before him , took a deep breath, and read, "The charges against the accused are as follows: The he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of two Muggles, on August the second at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offense under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy.

"You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey? " Fudge said, glaring at Harry over the top of his parchment.

"Yes." said Harry.

"You received an official warning from the Ministry for using illegal magic three years agao, did you not?"

"Yes, but.."

"And yet you conjured a Patronus on the night of the second of August?" said Fudge.

"Yes, but.."

"Knowing that you are not permitted to use magic outside school while you are under the age of seventeen?"

"Yes, but.."

"Fully aware the your were in an area full of Muggles."

"Yes, but.."

"Knowing you were in close proximity to two Muggles at the time?"

"Yes," Said Harry angrily, "but I only used it because we were--"

The witch with the monocle on Fudge's left cut across him in a booming voice.

"You produced a fully fledged Patronus?"

"Yes, because.."

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"A--what?"

"Your Patronus had a clearly defined form? I mean to say, it was more that vapor or smoke?"

"Yes" said Harry, "its a stag. it's always a stag."

"Always?" boomed Madam Bones."You have produced a Patronus before now?"

"Yes" Harry said. " I have been doing it for over a year."

"And you are fifteen years old?" "Yes, and.."  
"You learned that in school?"  
"Yes, Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because of the .."

"Impressive" said Madam Bones, staring down at him. "a true Patronus at his age..very impressive indeed."

Some of the wizards and witches arounder were muttering again; a few nodded, but others were frowning and shaking their heads.

"It's not a question of how impressive the magic was," said Fudge in a testy voice. "in fact, the more impressive the worse it is, I would have thought, given that the boy did it in plain view of two Muggles!"

Those who had been frowning now murmured in agreement, but it was the sight of Percy's sanctimonious little nod the goaded Harry into speech.  
"I did it because of the dementors!" He said loudly, before anyone could interrupt him again. The room rung with silence.

"Dementors?" Madam Bones said after a moment, raising her thick eyebrows, "What do you mean, boy?"

"I mean there were two dementors down that alleyway and they went for me, a friend of mine, and my cousin!"

"Ah." Said Fudge again, smirking unpleasantly as he looked around at the Wizengamot, as though inviting them to share the joke."Yes. Yes. I thought we'd be hearing something like this."

"Dementors in Little Whinging?" Madam Bones said in tones of great surprise. "I don't understand."

"Don't you, Amelia?" Said Fudge, still smirking. "Let me explain. He's been thinking it through and decided dementors would make a very nice little cover story, very nice indeed. Muggles can't see dementors, can they boy? Highly convenient, highly convenient...so it's just your word and no witnesses..."

"I'm not lying..!' Harry loudly, over another outbreak of muttering from the court. "There were two of them, coming from opposite ends of the alley, everything went dark adn cold and my cousin felt them and ran for it..!"

"Enough, enough!" Said Fudge with a very supercilious look on his face. "I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story--"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. The Wizengamot fell silent again.

"We do, in fact, have witnesses to the presence of dementors in the alleyway," he said. "Other than Dudly Dursley, I mean."

Fudge's plump face seemed to slacken, as though somebody had let air out of it. He stared down at Dumbledore for a moment or two, then , with the appearance of a man pulling himself back together, said "We haven't go time to listen to more taradiddle, I'm afraid, Dumbledore. I want this dealt with quickly--"

"I may be wrong, " Said Dumbledore pleasantly, " but I am sure that under the Wizengamot Charter of Rights, the accused has the right ot present witnesses for his or her case? Isn't that the policy of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Madam Bones?" he continued, addressing the witch in the monocle.

"True" said Madam Bones. "Perfectly true."

"Oh, very well, very well," snapped Fudge. "Where are these persons?"

"They're just outside the door. Should I..?"

"No.--Weasley, you go," Fudge barked at Percy, who got up at once, hurried down the stone steps from the judge's balcony, and hastened past Dumbledore and Harry without glancing at them. A moment later, Percy returned, followed by Mrs. Figg, who had a shorter person following close behind her elbow, with what looked like a black bag over his or her head. Mrs. Figg looked terrified, and even more batty than ever. She even managed to wear her pink fluffy slippers to court. Dumbledore stood up and gave Mrs. Figg his chair, and conjured up two more. Mrs. Figg then lead the bagheaded person to the chair next to her. Dumbledore sat in the third.

Harry saw that mystery person was wearing a long sleeved sweater and gloves when he or she patted the seat before sitting down. At that point, he was pretty certain who it was, and grew very concerned.

"I take it the bagged one is a Muggle?" Madam Bones said.

"Yes. All his life I believe. We will present him to the court soon enough. As tradition dictates, he is blindfolded, and has the muffliato charm cast on his hearing. There will be no need to obliviate him later, for he has seen and heard nothing of the wizarding world." Dumbledore said.

The muttering began once more.


	12. Testimony before oblivion

A/N: Ok..skipping the parts that haven't really changed from the book. I really dislike plagerism, don't you? Anyhow, that's what it'll amount to if I put it in..not to mention it will be really, really, boring to read through. Cause we're all here to hear about the new stuff, aren't we? Anyhow....

Trying to get a feel for Harry...he's kind like Ed..only way nicer. Ed's a brick wall of stubbornness and anger--most of the time. Harry..eh..Not so much. Next chapter I'm thinking over some bonding things to do...before Hogwarts starts. And yes...definitely an encounter with the Boggart in the desk...! I do know what Ed's worst fear is, and guess what? ITS NOT THE GATE!!!

Oh..and I did plan on revealing a WHOLE LOT about how Ed got to this time this chapter, and even had it alllllll written out. But I tossed it, cause it really didn't fit here. It IS planned out though, and it does make sense. All that's waiting is the proper and dramatic way to reveal it. Bwa-ha-ha!!!

....Hohemheim did not teach Dumbledore Amestrian. I'll reveal who did when the moment's right.

* * *

Harry listened as Mrs. Figg finished her testimony. He looked once more at the person sitting nearby, dark bag over his head. He was certain now it was Ed. No one else he knew constantly wore gloves on his hands, and wore long sleeves and pants inspite of the warmest weather conditions. As they were currently far underground, the room they were in was at quite a comfortable temperature.

'He wasn't in his bed last night. I should've guessed he'd be here to testify.' Harry thought.

"Not a very convincing witness." Fudge said loftily.

"Oh, I don't know." Said Madam Bones in her booming voice. "She certainly described the effects of a dementor attack very accurately. And I can't imagine why she would say they were there if they weren't--"

Dumbledore removed the bag hood over Ed's head, and tapped his wand twice on the earmuffs. He then said something that Harry recognised as the language Ed used when particularly irritated. The blond nodded once and reached up his hands, removing the blindfold and earmuffs. Ed then calmly looked around at the dark, dungeon-like room they all sat in, curious expression on his face.

"Full name?" Fudge said loudly, and Ed's golden eyes focused fully upon the man. Harry watched Fudge flinch back, his eyes widened in surprise.

'Must be because of Ed's eyes. Heh.' Harry thought, remembering well his own reaction.

"Edvard Elric."

"And who exactly are you?" Said Fudge, recovering smoothly and even managing a loftly voice.

"I am scientific and mathenmatic researcher per diem for Oxford University, concentrating in the fractals and nodes of particle physics and the relations to string and membrane theories, euclidean and non-euclidean forms, in relation to light, time, and gravitation fields in continuous flux. I am staying at a hostel on Birch street near Little Vhinging for now."

Ed's face scrunched in confusion.

"Dis vreally a school expulsion hearing?"

"We ask the questions here, Mr. Elric." Fudge said coldly, and sighed as if with boredom. "Can we verify any of that..that nonsense..?" The muttering in the upper benches began and Fudge turned his head slightly. Someone in the second row nodded to Fudge.

"He is too young, I think, for such a position. That is nearly like being a professor."

Dumbledore took a breath, but before he could say a single word..

"Age has nothing to do vith knowledge or skill. If dis really is SCHOOL hearing, you should already be knowing dis. And. Accepted it as truth." Ed said firmly. His golden eyes became molten fire as he glared at each face in the upper level. Clearly unafraid, and Harry found himself wishing he felt the same. Those people up above him held his future entirely in their hands, and that fact was hard for him to bare.

"Just how old are you, Mr. Elric?" The wizard on the second row asked.

"16."

More muttering in the upper benches. Mostly incredulous in tone. And Harry saw Ed narrow his eyes and lean forward in the chair until his elbows touched his knees.

"If you are vanting a demonstration of my expertise, I CAN provide vone for you. I highly doubt any of you vould understand, or be able to check my verk properly. I am knowing very few who can."

Fudge sighed again, rolled his eyes, and droned in a what sounded like a carefully crafted, dull voice, "My assistant Percy Weasley will verifiy what you say. Moving along: How do you know the defendant?" The muttering slowed and stopped.

Ed leaned back into the chair.

"Ve vere in class together trew July and August in basic alebra course held at local college. I tink the place vas called 'Little Vhinging Adjunct College' or somting. Ve vere forced to become study partners. He vas needing big lot help vith his maths."

"Hey! That's not..!" Harry yelled. Ed smirked, and glaced at him a moment without turning his head.

"Iz truth. You need more practice." Ed said.

After a moment, Harry nodded, and looked down, feeling slightly ashamed in spite of himself. 'It's not like I need math much as a wizard, now do I?' Harry thought.

"Very well. What is your story?" Fudge continued, hand holding up his chin.

"I had reached dead end in my researching at the local library branch and took a break. I vent to dis..field..just above vhere dis 'Little Vhigging' sign vas posted. Beautiful spot. I vas laying down in de grass, just vatching sky pass by above me, ven I noticed the clouds. One moment dey vere just.. dere, and it grew very dark and cold. As I sat dere, watching clouds form, it got colder and darker. I vatched the grass around me ice up in circular pattern..." Ed gestured his left hand, as if the circle were around himself.

"Circular pattern.... Explain, please..." Madam Bones said.

"It began at what I estimate to be radian .00023 and grew at a rate of..."

"I mean..was it like it was all around the field?" Madam Bones asked in her booming voice.

"Ah. It looked like it vas just around me. I stood up when I realized dat, looking for de cause. De clouds vere lowering over me, getting darker and colder as I vatched. I heard Harry yell, and looked to see he was running very quickly towards me, along vith his fat cousin. Another bunch of dark clouds vere over them..trailing them closely. They both yelled at me to run, like my life depended on it.."

"It did." Harry said softly, with a shutter. Ed looked over to him, and blinked.

"Ve ran into the alleyvay, and fat cousin tripped and fell ahead of us. The lights lining the place blinked out vone by vone, and soon I could barely see a ting. One of them being Harry standing by my side.."

Ed stopped and frowned. Closed his eyes a brief moment. Ed rubbed the bandage at his neck with his gloved left hand.

"Continue, if you would, Mr. Elric.' Madam Bones boomed.

Ed cleared his throat, looked up a the upper bench, and set his jaw in a stubborn line. "I couldzn't breathe. Then." Ed's face changed in that moment. It was mostly his eyes. The molten fire that was usually there was suddenly gone, dulling his golden eyes to a kind of bronze-brown. Fine lines appeared around them, like he was strained by the bearing of an enormous weight. By his eyes alone, Ed looked like something impossibly ancient.

"..I saw...my vorst memzory. vReal as you people are being before me now. I vas vreaching out..to. To zomevone in zit, and mys handz brushed againzt zomezthing zolid that I couldn't zee. KOLD to touch. Tch. Damn it! Kold iz in vrite vord..!"

Ed fisted his gloved hands on his thighs, eyes flicked down. He then frowned, then looked back up to the bench. The fire in his eyes returned in that glare, eyes once again that brilliant gold.

"But ...I hadz target from zat touch, zo ztruck az hardz az I kould. It vasn't done with vreal thought... and it vasn't enough...! I just knowz it vasn't. I don'tz remembers the hit against alleyvall I took. I vas out for..mebe few zecondz? Minute? I voke vith dis lady here beside me helping me to my feet from vere I landed on ground. Dis...burn..at my neck. And I found vas very ill."

"Burn...you say?" Madam Bones said loudly.

"We shall present it to you now." Dumbledore said. "It should leave you no doubt as to what was in Little Whinging that night. Edward?"

"If I am vone taking it off, I am knowing I will be scratching it bloody....Tch. Could you...?"

"Of course." Dumbledore said.

Ed nodded and looked down, then stood. He tilted his chin back so that it looked as though he were looking fully at the ceiling. In clear view, just above the sweater collar, was the white bandage, taped in place at the front of Ed's neck. Ed's gloved left hand rose nearly to the bandage, fingers flexing. Ed made a fist instead, and with effort, lowered the hand back to his side.

"TcheeaH!!!...Be quick." Ed said, clencing his teeth, squinting his eyes shut.

Dumbledore stood and walked in front Ed a moment. He flicked his wand in a offhand gesture, one that could be mistaken for any number of things by Muggle eyes. He then pocketed the wand, and reached for the tape at Ed's neck. It took but a moment to remove, and the noise sounded much like the tearing of crisp paper. Then Dumbledore stood back and to the side, white bandage held lightly in one hand.

The muttering began in the bench above, like several furious whispered arguements all at once.

Curious, Harry looked at the burn himself, as he really hadn't seen it much at all.

Overall, the burn was an angry red-brown color at its edges, looking like what Harry remembered an infected cut would. White, spider web-like lines crisscrossed their way over the top of it, nearly forming something like a thin crust, and Harry could see many small, yellowish blisters beneath that. There were splashes of purples, greens, and even a few deep blues. The thing that stood out the most for Harry, however, was its overall shape.

It looked exactly like the thin, emancipated hand of a dementor, as if it were still gripping Ed by the throat. Harry could clearly make out all of the thin digits etched in Ed's tender skin.

Harry rubbed his own throat, remembering well that he too, was being held firm in the air by the same creature that had held Ed. As he watched, Ed's hands shook slightly, fingers flexing. He heard Ed say something in that language of his, loudly, and with venom through his gritted teeth. Dumbledore replied in that same language in gentle tones, and replaced the bandage with a quick effiency that Harry hadn't seen him perform before.

Once he was finished, the wand flicked out and was replaced back into his robes. Ed sighed and lowered his chin, rubbing the bandage once more with his gloved left hand, relief showing clearly on his face. He closed his eyes a moment, then sat down once again. When Ed looked up at the bench above, the expression on his face looked to Harry as if he were daring them to say something, anything, to give him the excuse to pound the lot of them to the dirt.

"Thank you, Mr. Elric." Madam Bones said in her loud voice. "For your testimony."

Ed nodded slightly. Dumbledore handed him the blindfold and earmuffs. Ed looked to them, sighed, and rolled his eyes. He then dutifully put them on, and Dumbledore replaced the dark bag over his head.

Mrs. Figg, the forgotten, fearfully glanced first at Fudge, then to Dumbledore.

She then nervously grabbed for Ed's gloved right hand, but he quickly exchanged it with his gloved left. Now firmly holding her elbow, Ed got up from the chair. The two of them then shuffled out of the courtroom; the door closing behind them both with a loud boom.

Harry heard someone above him in the bench whisper "oblivate at once"...But couldn't catch sight of who had said it. He found himself worried. For the first time that day, it was not for himself.

* * *

If there was one thing Ed knew he hated, it was when he smelled a rat. Blind folded, he let himself be lead by the kind, but frumpy-looking lady that had lead him to the safety of the Dursleys; however, he did not relax. He thought of the mockery of a hearing he had just seen...and smelled a rat.

He could hear that he was in a crowded hall of some sort..the sounds, though muffled, echoed as if off stone walls of some sort. He supposed he was here earlier, because he could feel the same sorts of energies in the air playing on his nerves and skin. Annoying because it made the itching at his neck worse. As his left was currently holding the kind lady's elbow, he could only grit his teeth instead of rubbing it.

The lady leading him was nervous. Extremely so. He could tell by the shaking in her shoulder. Then he felt it..deep in his chest. A familiar..yet not...sensation. Like the potent feel of the calm before the storm.

He was targeted by someone. Behind him. And they were just about to..!

He moved, releasing her elbow and rolled quickly away to his right, making himself the worst target possible. He heard her cry out, and several others too, muffled though they were to his hearing. He clapped his hands before his chest once he found his feet, distinctive sound cutting through the noise of the crowd around him, quickly removing the bag, blindfold, and earmuffs in one hasty equation and touch; there was time for only for deconstruction. The warming energy moved thorough him; he could see the blue of the reaction as it went into effect before his closed eyelids. At once, he opened his eyes and he went into his fighting stance, leading with his right arm.

There was a salt-and-peppered fuzzy haired, tall robed..wrinkled person..with a rather pointy hat, pointing a wand right at him. The man took a breath.

Ed clapped his hands again and slammed them to the ground. Then boom of the reaction echoed, and blue lightning arched. Beneath the man the equation came to life in the circle of power, and up rose a great stone hand--displacing the stone it was made of as it formed. It gripped the man within moments, wrapping fingers firmly about the waist, pinning the wand to the man's leg and out of Ed's sight. When the equation was finished, the only things the man could effectively move much was his head and feet, tips of toes dangling about a foot from the ground.

Ed smoothly reentered his fight stance.

The man looked down at him, green eyes wide, and thick eyebrows up so far on the lined face that they nearly touched his hairline.

"You alvright.. Mrs. Figg?"

Ed flicked his eyes to the kindly lady, and saw she too was looking at him with a similiar expression on her face; He didn't let that distract him from his opponent, however. He had just wanted to be sure she hadn't gotten struck with whatever had just been thrown at him.

"Y-yes."

Then he flicked his eyes around. He noticed several people standing, looking at him. Several had wands in their hands. He shifted his stance slightly, just in case. He chanced a quick look behind him. 'More people.' He thought. 'Shit.' There was a slumped body against the wall. Several people were checking on whoever the robed figure was.

"My..sincerest apologies...!" The wrinkled man said with a baritone voice, slight panic in the tone. "I was told you were but a Muggle!"

"A Muggle? Here? In the Ministry?!? Don't be a fool." Mrs. Figg said with a nervous laugh, her voice shaking slightly.

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Vhat did you just shoot at me?"

"That? Oh. Uh--j-just a 'stupify'--" Shrugging the shoulders."--was going to follow it up with an 'oblivate'. Standard procedure, y'know."

"You were going to make me CARRY the boy out of here?!?" Mrs Figg nearly shouted, managing to sound outraged.

The wrinkled man regarded Mrs. Figg with narrowed eyes. "Perhaps I was told to target the wrong person?"

"What!?!? You TWIT!" Mrs Figg roared. "I'M A SQUIB!!!"

Ed broke his stance, and stood normally. He absently brushed the remains of the first transmutation off his shoulders where it had gathered like dust as he looked around. He saw a lot of curious glances beyond the crowd gathered around them. Beyond that people were a series of what looked like fireplaces, complete with burning fires within. Quite a few appeared to have lines formed before them, as if the people were waiting to put them to some kind of use. He blinked. The hall they were in was HUGE. Mostly peacock blue in color.

"....the hood then?" Ed heard, and turned his head back to the speaker.

"Oh? Vhat vas dat? " Ed said.

"Oh..I was asking about the hood. Why did you..?" The wrinkled man said.

Ed looked over to Mrs. Figg, and raised an eyebrow. She frowned, and looked like she was about to panic. She shook her head slightly.

"Ooooooh..daaaat? My English...naat dat goot. Vaat is voart...ah!"

Ed looked back to the wrinkled man, trapped as he was in the transmuted floor.

"..Trainink." Ed said with a quick nod, and waved dismissively.

"TRAINING?!?"

"Ja! Vvork goot, no?" Ed smiled his widest smile. Beaming. Indicating with a grand gesture of his right arm, the body of the unfortunate, and now dazed, wizard behind him.

The wrinkled man blinked.

"Y-yes. I was assisting him. Now if you don't mind, we REALLY must be off. We have an appointment to see to, and we really are running late now, thanks to you. Come on." Mrs Figg said, and firmly grabbed Ed's right arm, giving it a tug.

"H-hey!..wait--!" Said the wrinkled man.

Mrs. Figg ignored him, and worked their way through the crowd. Once they were far enough away to be out of earshot, Ed breathed a whisper to her.

"...Glad dey didn't tink to use guns..."

"Mr. Elric...I think that guns... " She said just as softly, patting his right metal arm as they made their way. Her eyes widened a bit at the resulting soft 'thunks!', but she managed a weak smile."...are the least of your worries..."

Ed found himself smirking back, as he heard a faint, "Get me out of this thing!" down the great hall.


	13. Verdict Slips

A/N: Ed went and did something "Ed-ish" this chapter and postponed my bonding plans...It's not over yet!!! I swear!!!

* * *

"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?"said Madam Bones's booming voice.

Harry's head jerked upward. There were hands in the air, many of them..more than half! Breathing very fast, he tried ot count, but before he could finish Madam Bones had said, "And those in favor of conviction?"

Fudge raised his hand; so did half a dozen others, including the witch on his right and the heavily mustached wizard and teh frizzy-haired witch in the second row.

Fudge glanced around at them all, looking as though there was somthing large stuck in his throat, then lowere his own hand. He took two deep breaths and then said, in a voice distorted by suppressed rage, "Very well, very well...cleared of all charges."

"Excellent" said Dumbledore briskly, springing to his feet, pulling out his wand, and causing the three chinz armchairs to vanish. "Well, I must be getting along. Good day to you all."

And without looking once at Harry, he swept from the dungeon.

* * *

Harry stood in stunned silence, Mr. Weasley stood beside him.

The lift arrived; it wad empty except for a large flock of memos that flapped around Mr. Weasley's head as he pressed the button for the Atrium and the doors clanged shut; he waved them away irritably.

Harry blinked.

"Mr. Weasley," said Harry slowly, " if Fudge is meeting Death Eaters like Malfoy, if he's seeing them alone, how do we know they haven't put the Imperius Curse of him?"  
"Don't think it hadn't occured to us, Harry," muttered Mr. Weasley." But Dumbledore thinks Fudge is acting of his own accord at the moment--which, as Dumbledore says, is not a lot of comfort. ..Best not talk about it anymore just now, Harry...."

The doors slid open to the still crowded Atrium. Harry noticed a new structure. Most of the crowd was gathered around it, milling about. It towered over most of the crowd. There seemed to be someone's head, complete with a pointed hat sticking out of the top of it.

"Hello. What's this?" Mr. Weasley said, as he noticed it as well.

As they had to go in that direction anyway, together, they made their way though the crowd to the structure wordlessly, both wanting a closer look. Several official looking wizards surrounded it, pushing the crowd back by few meters. Harry recognised them as being from the Auror's office eariler.

The structure itself looked exactly like a large hand would, if one had emerged from the ground. It was peacock blue in color, and even the dark wood of the floor was incorporated into it seemlessly, forming a sort of lip around the base of the bit of forearm. Harry could see details..like cuticles of fingernails, etched in quite clearly.

There seemed to be a man caught in it, and the only thing Harry could see of the man was his head, (with the pointy hat on top, of course), and the feet, which dangled at least a foot off the ground.

Mr. Weasley lurched forward suddenly before him.

"Careful, Harry. There seems to be a bit of a step." Mr. Weasley said loudly, to be heard over the crowd. Harry looked down, but there were so many gathered about the structure, and so many feet in the way, he couldn't see what Mr. Weasley was talking about. The floor appeared to be perfectly flat beneath him at least.

"Somebody cancel this thing!!" The man yelled with rage.

"We're trying, Mr. Scrimgeour. Nothing's working."

"Then find the one who did it, you incompetent..!"

"Shut it, you. Or you'll be stuck there for the night." One of the Aurors, a witch with an eyepatch looked over at the man, then noticed Mr. Weasley. "Weasley." Mr. weasley nodded in response, and straightened his coat.

"What happened?" Harry blurted out.

"Nothing to be concerned over. Move along.." The witch said officiously.

"Hell it is. This fellow here attacked a foreign wizard, thinking him a Muggle of all things!" A Wizard in the crowd near them said over the noise. "It could've been any of us he oblivated!!"

There were many shouts of agreement. Even quite a few, "Bloody Obliviators!", and "Damned Aurors!!"

"I SAID. MOVE ALONG!!" The witch shouted, voice booming over all the angry voices of the crowd.

"Come on Harry. Let's go." Mr. Weasley said, and grabbed Harry's shoulder.

Harry was pulled a step or two, then he turned back, or rather tried to. He could only twist his neck over as far as it could go. "What happened to the foreigner?" He yelled.

"Defended himself, of course!" The wizard waved at the structure.

Harry felt the hand on his shoulder give him a squeeze, and a firm tug. With great reluctance, he turned back and followed Mr. Weasley through the rest of the angry crowd. and then through the rest of the great, ornate, peacock-blue hall. When he reached the golden fountain at its center, Harry remembered something.

'My promise!'

"Wait.." he told Mr. Weasley, and pulling his money bag from his pocket, he turned back to the fountain. Looking critically at each of the golden scuptures, Harry turned his money bag upside down and emptied not just the ten Galleons he had promised before the hearing, before being cleared of all charges, but the whole contents into the pool at the staues' feet.

He then turned back to Mr. Weasley and smiled a wide grin.

* * *

Ed slumped in a metal chair at a patio table across from the frumpy woman, sipping at a glass of tea through a straw. His golden hair tied back in a high ponytail, and his unruly bangs hiding his face in shadow. He wore the colorful borrowed clothes of the Weasleys, consisting of a longsleeved sweater and long pants. The only thing that was truly his own were the white gloves that covered his mismatched hands.

His escort and he hadn't talked since the rush to get out of the Ministry. She had insisted all explanations had to wait until they both were "someplace safe". Ed had a good idea what that meant.

The frumpy woman across from him looked about them, nervously clutching at a purse in her lap.

'So. She finally spotted them too.'

Lazily he stretched his arms over his head. One quick glance told him all he needed to know.

'Almost too close.'

He smiled widely, and stood up.

"I need to be making use of..is it 'restroom'?" He said.

"We call it the 'loo' actually, Mr. Elric. " Mrs Figg replied brightly, and figited in her discomfort.

"Ah. Da 'luu'. Den." He said with a nod. "Zank you, Mrs. Figg."

"Your quite welcome, Mr. Elric."

The little coffee shop they sat in front of had a crowd of people within, and Ed made his way though them without much trouble. He had to wait at the restroom door for a few moments before it became available. Once inside he locked the door, sighing in relief that didn't have any stalls. In fact, it held only a single toilet, and sink with a heavily scratched up mirror on the tiled wall.

'Hard to believe this is but a block or two away from that place.' Ed thought. 'And. They're following me.'

Ed removed the sweater, pants, and gloves. Carefully, he laid them on the tiled floor. In just his undershorts, he squatted down, thinking.

'Sweater's mostly wool. Same with pants. Dyes...hmm. Colbalt. Verillium. Cadium...'

Equation firmly in mind, he clapped his mismatched hands together, and touched the clothes. Blue light flashed. The sweater and pants now were a kind of dull gray-brown in color, and between them was a small pile of dust.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley" Ed whispered in Amestrian, as he carefully gathered the dust into his right metal hand, to the metal plate on the palm. "Should be just enough..."

Ed went to the sink, stopped up the drain with paper towels, then filled it with water. He then dropped in the powder. Quickly, he pulled his hair out of the ponytail, freeing his long golden hair, which he tossed into a rough bundle over his right shoulder. He clapped his hands. He touched the sides of the sink, and lowered his hair to the water so that it just touched. Blue light flashed.

He rose and regarded himself in the mirror. Before him stood a black haired youth with startling gold eyes. If he ignored the automail port on the right shoulder, then his eyes were the real problem.

'Can't do a thing about them.' He thought, wishing a moment for dark glasses. He clapped his hands, and touched his white gloves to the water. Blue light flashed. And he set them aside. He looked down at the sweater and pants, thinking.

Sudden pounding on the door made him jump.

"'OY! 'Urry it up in dere!"

"Hold yur breetch is!!" Ed yelled, in irritation, trying his best to hide his accent. He frowned, and stuck out his tongue slightly, hating how stupid it sounded to his ears.

Equation firmly in mind, Ed clapped mismatched his hands. And touched the sweater. Blue light flashed. He quickly dressed and drained the sink. With one last glance at the mirror, he decided to leave his hair down. He even mussed his unruly bangs with his right, making them even more unruly.

'It'll have to do.' He thought. Then he opened the door.

Keeping his head and chin tilted down, he causally passed by the frumpy looking woman sitting at the table. Across from her was the human pile of rags he recognised as being Mundungus.

"..should be any minute now. He's just in the loo.." He heard her say.

'She'll be fine,' Ed thought, feeling slightly less guilty now that he knew his escort would be safe.

She didn't give him second look at all when he trudged his way to the street, hands in his pockets. He spotted some people in robes, spaced thoughout the crowd walking the sidewalks...the ones that were following him. They too, didn't take notice. He even brushed against one of them, and heard a muttered apology.

Ed was now dressed in a off-white, woolen, long sleeved, high collared shirt, grayish long pants, and black gloves on both hands. Long hair dyed black, hanging loose down to his mid back and hiding his golden eyes in the shade.

He was free. Anonymous. So. He just kept on walking.

* * *

"I knew it!" yelled Ron, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you,"said Hermione, who had looked positively faint with anxiety when Harry had entered the kitchen and was now holding a shaking hand over her eyes. "There was no case against you, none at all.."

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering they all knew I'd get off," said Harry, smiling.

Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went "He got off, he got off, he got off--"

"That's enough, settle down!" shouted Mr. Weasley, though he too was smiling. "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry--"  
"What?" Sirius said sharply.

"He got off, he got off, he got off--"  
"Be quiet, you three! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on level nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know."

"Absolutely, " said Sirius. "We'll tell him, don't worry."

"Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet in Bethnal Green waiting for me. Molly, I'll be late, I' covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner--"

"He got off, he got off, he got off--"

"That's enough--Fred--George--Ginny!" said Mrs. Weasley, as Mr. Weasley left the kitchen. "Harry dear, come and sit down. Have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast.."

Ron and Hermione sat themselves down opposite him looking happier than they had done since he had first arrived at number 12, Grimmauld Place, and Harry's feeling of giddy relief, which had been somewhat dented by his encounter with Lucius Malfoy, and his fears of Ed being obliviated after his testimony, swelled again. The gloomy house seemed warmer and more welcoming all of a sudden; even Kreacher looked less ugly as he poked his snoutlike nose into the kitchen to investigate the source of all the noise.

"'Course, once Dumbledore turned up on your side, there was no way they were going to convict you," said Ron happily, now dishing great mounds of mashed potatoes onto everyone's plates.

"Yeah, he swung it for me," said Harry. Then he blinked. "Um..where's..?"

He was going to say 'Ed' but at that moment, at that thought. The scar on his forehead burned so badly that he clapped his hand to it, and left him gasping.

"What's up?" said Hermione, looking alarmed.

"Scar," Harry mumbled."It's nothing...it happens all the time now..."

None of the others had noticed a thing; all were helping themselves to food while gloating over Harry's narrow escape; Fred, George, and Ginny were still singing. Hermione looked rather anxious, but before she could say anything, Ron said happily, " I bet Dumbledore turns up this evening to celebrate with us, you know."

"I don't think he'll be able to, Ron." Mrs. Weasley said, setting a huge plate of roast chicken down infront of Harry. "He's really very busy at the moment.

"HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF--"

"SHUT UP!" roared Mrs. Weasley.

* * *

Kingsley did show up for dinner that night. As soon as dinner was served and the others had taken their places at it, Harry decided it was time to ask him the one question that was bothering him the most.

"Where's Ed? After he testified at the hearing and all, I'd though he'd be brought back here straight away like I was. I mean, um.."

The man's face showed the slightest creases of worry, but he replied, smoothly, "I'm sure he's just fine, Harry."

Harry noticed Sirus look at Kinsley and narrow his eyes slightly. Then, Sirius chuckled. And, after a few moments, slapped the table with one hand as if enjoying a good joke. Harry blinked, and ignored him, continuing his explanation over the laughter.

"Ed took a huge risk testifying for me. I want to know for sure he's alright. Where is he?" Harry pressed.

"B-big risk? What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, she widened her eyes.

"I overheard them at the upper bench. They were going to have him oblivated after the trial." Harry said.

"Good riddance I say. It's not like he was.."

"..The friendliest bloke or anything. Kind of a prat.." FredorGeorge said

"Hush up you two. If only you didn't attack him every morning you'd see he was..uh..." Ginny said

"A right grouch most of the time.." Ron said. Harry shot him a look, and Ron looked down sheepishly at his dinner plate.

"You didn't hear him today..." Harry said, and looked down himself. "His testimony was.."

"That's enough you lot. Dig in, now." Mrs Weasley said.

Kingsley's face shifted to something Harry couldn't read, and he reached for a dinner roll as Mrs. Weasley set the basket down in front of him. Sirius took another look, and only laughed harder, nearly falling off his chair doing so. Harry scowled, looking hard at his godfather.

After Sirius caught his breath and wiped his tears away, Harry angrily demanded, "What?" Sirius swallowed several more barks of laughter with great effort.

"It's plain all over your face, my friend. I can tell what happened." Sirius chuckled, and dished himself some food with a smile. "Quite easily."

"Need I remind you, Sirius, that I am the one person who is keeping the Ministry off your back..." Kingsley said softly with a slight growl, as he dished himself some more food.

"WHAT?" Harry said.

Sirius coughed into his fisted hand, and looked over to Harry.

"Harry, Kingsley DOESN'T know where he is." Sirius smiled and chuckled some more. "Because I believe Ed himself gave him the slip. How many Aurors?"

"Four. Plus the two Order members that were escorting him. Lost track of him at a coffee shop. It has yet to be fully determined if Ed wasn't just taken by someone. I was busy at the time deflecting questions about your whereabouts, so I haven't had the chance to see to it myself." Kingsley growled. "What's more..Scrimgeour himself wants him, or rather, someone who matches his description, tracked down immediately. I left before he could assign me anything-- MORE that is."

Harry leaned back into his chair. Blinking at the news. Then it all clicked.

'Scrimgeour...What the...! He was that man trapped inside that stone scupture at the Ministry today! The one that wouldn't cancel! '

Harry smiled widely. "Ed must've been the one to have done it to him, especially if he's a wanted man now."

"What?! What did he do?" FredandGeorge said, mouths open.

"Spill it." Hermione said with a glare at Harry, which Harry chose to ignore.

Kingsley gave Harry a sour look.

"Well, out with it." Mrs. Weasley said, with a worried look on her face. "Whatever has the boy done?"

"By the reports filed by numerous eyewitnesses, it was justified self defense." Kingsley said "Scrimgeour tried to oblivate him himself. Right in the middle of the Minisry's hall, thinking he was a Muggle. Ed managed to dodge it, turn about, and do SOMETHING wandlessly. Scrungeour somehow got caught inside a stone sculpture of some sort..one that wouldn't cancel, as a result."

"Well..that's positively..."

"Revolting!...brilliant!" FredandGeorge said, wide grins plastered on their faces.

Kingsley looked at them with a rueful smile on his face.

"The man was trapped inside it for hours." He said simply. "Furious wouldn't be an adequate discription for his mood. Ed WILL pay dearly if he's caught. Mark my words."

"Maybe he can show us.."

"How to do what he did..?" FredandGeorge exchanged looks.

"Don't you two start. You're a handful enough by half." Mrs. Weasley said with a firm slap to the table, and an equally firm point of her finger.

"You wouldn't happen to know where he'd go, now, would you Harry?" Kingsley asked, raising a single eyebrow as he looked over to him.

Harry blinked. Then rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Sorry. Haven't the foggiest." Harry said simply.

Kingsley snorted, with a doubtful expression on his face. But said no more.


	14. Tea and civility

A/N:um..taa-daa!

* * *

Harry closed the door behind him. He didn't even jump when he heard the Pop! that signaled the arrival of the twins in the room he shared with Ron. With one glance to them both, and then to Ron, he went straight away to his trunk at the foot of his bed. He opened it up, and started to dig.

"Knew it...!" Ron said.

"You do know where he is." Fred said.

"Not exactly." Harry said. "Might have a bit of a clue though. Where IS it?"

"What are you looking for..?" George said.

"Notebook. The one he gave me before we were...Ah-HA! Right!" Harry said, and gripped said notebook with both hands. Then, he settled himself to his bed, and began turning the pages carefully one by one. He looked at both sides of each paper within. Even tapped his wand and said, "Aparecium". He shook his head angrily, and growled in frustration. Finally, he picked the notebook up and threw it across the room, where it hit the wall by Ron with a bang! and fluttered to the ground.

"What was that for?" Ron asked, looking at Harry with worried eyes.

Harry gripped his hair and laid back into his pillows.

"Thought for sure he'd leave something in there. Address. Contact info. Something. He gave it to me, when he saw Uncle Vernon slap me."

Fred went to the notebook and picked it up, holding it with a thumb and forefinger as though it would bite him, by a corner of one of the flaps.

"Hello. Hold on. What's that?" George said, squatting down to grab the notebook. He folded back all the pages from the flap in question.

"Looks handwritten..what scrawl...!" Fred said.

"..Can't make sense of it, either." George said.

Ron reached for the notebook, and shook his head and frowned when he saw the scrawl himself. By this time, Harry had picked himself back up from the bed, and was looking over his best friend's shoulder.

"That's his handwriting." Harry breathed. "Bloody brilliant! He thinks like a Muggle. I should've known..!"

On this inside front cover, right below where it said, "This notebook belongs to" was Ed's handwritten, hardly legible, yet neat, scrawl, which read:

679 Birch Street. Ask for Elysia.  
Mention me.

Harry read it out loud for them.

"'Elysia?' That's a girl's name...So he DOES have a girlfriend!" Ron said, relief in his voice. Harry smirked and nearly rolled his eyes.

'Now..we just have to figure out how to get there.' Harry thought.

"We need to let Sirius know." Harry said, after a few moments.

"Tch. Sure...."

"Get them involved. Why not?" FredandGeorge said.

"You gits...!" Ron said, and Fred and George shot him dirty looks. "Don't want Harry to be attacked again, do you? We have no choice."

"Knew you'd take his side, Ronnie..."

"...And we had such high hopes for you." FredandGeorge said.

Notebook in hand, Harry opened the door.

* * *

Though Harry wanted to go straight away that night, Sirius convinced him to wait until morning. "He might not even be there, Harry. Best to have Moody check on it first."

He also thought he wouldn't sleep, but he did. He woke that morning with the twins leaning over him, wide smiles on their faces, having just finished pummeling him awake with many soft pillow strikes.

"Wakey wakey.."

"Eggs and bakey.." FredandGeorge greeted.

"Leave him, you gits!" Harry heard Ginny yell from the doorway.

Harry sat up and blearily blinked the sleep from his eyes, and looked over at Ron. The twins were now pummeling him awake.

"Breakfast!" Mrs. Weasley called down the hall. The various pictures on the wall began to yell as well. Harry heard the distinctive screaming of a certain portrait of Mrs. Black.

"Ugh." Harry wrinkled his nose. He heard Sirius yelling now. Likely at the portraits.

"Yeah..forgot Ed did that." Ron said, rubbing sleep from his eyes.  
"Back to whispering in the halls, I guess."

Harry shrugged, rolled out of bed, and got dressed.

At the breakfast table, Sirius looked at him with a slight smile on his face, and handed him a small tightly bound scroll.

"Just arrived by owl. From Moody."

It read:

Watching now. Quiet. Too quiet. No sign.

-M

"I still want to go." Harry said firmly.

"Thought you would. Tonks and Lupin will be here.." Just then there was the clanging sound of the doorbell, followed closely by the cacophany of the portaits' screams. Sirius looked as though he was a man deflated, his shoulders slumped so much. "Not again..!"

"I'll get it." Mrs. Weasley said brightly.

"Leave mother to me, then." Sirius growled.

After much yelling from Sirius in the hall, Remus Lupin entered the kitchen, looking ghastly pale. Tonks, now with short bright pink hair, followed closely behind. Both joined them at the table. Hermione wandered in at that moment with Ginny, blearily rubbing her eyes. One look at Harry and Ron, and it seemed she knew.

"Found him, did you?" She said, and smiled brightly.

Ron and Harry exchanged a quick glance, eyebrows raised.

"How'd you..?" Ron said.

"Easy. I'm a genius. And it's obvious you lot are planning a trip out. So. Let's hear it. Where is he?"

"We'll fill you in along the way." Harry smirked, and munched on his toast.

Soon, Hermione, Harry and Ron were filing onto a ordinary Muggle bus with Lupin and Tonks as escorts. All dressed as Muggles. The trip took a few hours, and was quite dull. Harry found himself wondering what'd he find at the address from the folder. His imagination running wild with all sorts of possibilities.

"Suppose it's a hidden place, and only you can see it?" Ron mused, resting his head on his hand, clearly bored with every gesture he made. Harry felt a bit sorry for his friend. Ron couldn't do his favorite magical time passing activities with so many Muggles around them on the bus. He glanced at Hermione, who looked just as bored.

"I rather doubt it." Hermione said. "I mean. I don't know what it'll be, but.."

"I don't either. Really. I mean, he IS a wizard, um, isn't he?" Harry said.

"One that's after the philosopher's stone..." Hermione said softly, and looked out the window to the scenery passing them by.

"This's our stop." Lupin called, and looked across to them. The bus jerked to a stop and they all got up; filing off and down the steps, one by one. Harry looked around. It was a rather nice area. Well kept. Not at all like the places he'd expect something magical to be. Those were usually looking like abandoned, run down places. 'All the better to keep Muggle eyes away', he supposed. He took out the notebook and looked a the address.

"Wotcher. Come on." Tonks said, as she stepped beside Harry, looking at the scrawl on the notebook for herself.

"Looks like it's just up the street." Harry said. Ron groaned.

Ron looked about with confusion etched all over his face.

"You mean we have to walk?" Ron whined.

"It'll be good for you, Ron. After that dreadful bus ride..!" Hermione said bravely, with determined nod.

It was actually three blocks away. On a corner. When he figured it out, Harry blinked, and looked to Tonks and Lupin.

Tonks looked around, with one eyebrow raised. The stopped when she looked up above them, apparently spotting what she was looking for. She nodded a quick nod in that direction, then looked down to Harry.

"Wotcher. Lets give it a go. Before Moody changes his mind."

"Huh?" Harry said intelligently.

"Go on, Harry. You lead, we'll be right behind you." Tonks said with a gentle nudge towards the corner in question. Harry looked. As he watched, someone propped a door open there, then went back inside. Moments passed, and the person came back out with white buckets...filled to bursting with what looked like flowers. The person set these down on the sidewalk, one by one. Harry blinked.

"Something wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Uh. no. Just..not what I was expecting. At the trial..he said he was staying at something called a 'hostel'. But that.."

Hermione sighed.

"It's a flower shop. I can see that."

"D-do they bite?" Ron asked, voice shaking a bit in fear. "The flowers I mean?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed Ron by his collar.

"Come on. You."

* * *

Harry entered the flower shop cautiously, just looking around. The nearly all the walls held refrigerators with clear glass for doors, showcasing various flower arrangements, and there were clusters of white buckets, here and there, containing bunches of fresh cut flowers throughout the floor space.

The was a sudden noise behind him, and the sound of water splashing against the floor. "Oy! sorry!" Harry glanced back. It was Tonks. The others just behind her; Lupin was squatting, picking up the split flowers carefully from the floor and righting the bucket that Tonks had just tripped over. Ron was looking at the flower arrangements with wonder written all over his face.

"Hello. Can I help you?" A friendly voice called out from behind the counter by the door. Harry looked over. It was a young man, about twenty years old, with short brown hair, and brown eyes. He was neatly dressed in a tshirt and slacks, with a green apron on top. Harry turned and faced him.

"Um yes. Is Elysia here?"

The man blinked.

"She hasn't been with us for a few weeks now. Why?"

"Um.." Harry blinked, and looked down. "I think..I..Well. Um. Ed wanted me to come here."

"Ed?"

"Edward Elric." Harry clarified.

The man raised his eyebrows. "Wow..talk about a name I haven't heard in a while." The man frowned, rested his elbows on the counter, and tilted his head. He looked Harry over carefully, then glanced to the others and did the same to them. "Friends of yours?"

"Yeah." Harry said. The man nodded then frowned as if deep in thought.

"Well. If Ed told you to use that name, he must've really had a good reason. You needing a place to stay?" The man smiled.

"Um..no, thank you. I was hoping to find him, actually."

"Can't really help you there." The man said with chuckle. "What's your name?"

"Harry. Harry Potter."

"Well, Mr. Potter. I'm Grand Hughes. Nice to meet you. Since business's slow, would you all care for some tea?"

"Um.." Harry looked back uncomfortably at the others. Tonks shrugged.

"We'd LOVE to...after all, we came such a long way." Lupin grinned.

"That bus was right murder on my.." Ron said.

"Ron!!" Hermione interrupted.

Bells tinkled at the door. The man turned his head, then looked back to them.

"Oh..Just head right back there. There should be a table that you all will fit at. I'll be there in just a bit."

Harry, gripping his wand firmly in his pocket, cautiously did so, with a glance back to the man called Hughes. He seemed to be handing a boy, about Harry's age, a bouquet of flowers from one of the glass-fronted refrigerators. The boy had on a cap that obscured most of his face, and was wearing a tshirt and shorts. As he watched, the boy ran off, quickly, out the door.

'Definitely not him.' Thought Harry glumly. He felt Tonks put a hand on his shoulder, and give it a squeeze.

* * *

Ed was sitting under a tree on a bench near the graveyard when he spotted the boy. He stayed where he was and simply watched, golden eyes shaded with dark glasses and hidden beneath his black-dyed hair. The boy carried a yellow bouquet of flowers, as was his job. Carefully, the boy walked, looking for the right grave marker. Then, with a slight nod to no one and a cry of triumph, removed the dead boquet, and placed the new in the receptacle. Then the boy ran off. Back to where he had come. Ed still did not move from where he was.

But the message was delivered just the same.

'Harry's looking for me.' Ed thought. 'Yellow's for concern.'

Ed stretched his hands lazily over his head, and stood. Thinking. Then he looked around again, carefully. There wasn't many people around him at the moment. And there didn't feel like there were...others..there either.

"I believe I feel like gifting Hughes some pizza." He said aloud in Amestrian, then headed off to his new destination.

* * *

"So. How do you know Ed?" Hughes asked, pouring the tea from the teapot into six mismatched tea cups.

"I met him at school, actually." Harry replied. "And you?"

"Oh..he and the family go way back." Hughes said. "He knew my great-grandmother apparently. But then, she was so friendly with everyone and had such a long life. She made it to 100 before she went...this is her shop actually. Brought the whole thing over from Germany after the war."

"War?" Ron asked nervously. "W-what war?"

"World War Two. Way before your time. or my time for that matter." Hughes looked over at Ron, saw his confused face. "They haven't covered it yet in your school, now have they?" He chuckled. Then turned and opened the refrigerator. He grabbed two trays of cut up sandwiches, opened the lids, and placed them on the table. "Lets see...Should I get plates..? Oh ..Of course I should. Silly me." Hughes turned to the cupboards.

While his back was turned, Ron exchanged confused glances with Lupin and Tonks. Hermione caught their eyes and mouthed "Later." Harry watched them with amusement. He was glad of his Muggle education in situations like this, at least he could follow a Muggle's conversation adequately.

"Here we are..they match the cups at least." Hughes said with a smile.

Bell rung at the door.

"Oh. I'll be right back. Start without me, if you would?" Hughes said and got up from the table.

Lupin brought up one of the cups to his nose and gave it a cautious sniff.

"Well..it's not poisoned." Hermione said with annoyance. "Honestly..!"

Tonks chuckled, and brought a cup up to her own lips. Ron poked at one on the cut sandwiches, as if it would bite him. Harry sat back with his own cup in his hands. After a few minutes of silence...

"So this is the Muggle equivalent to a safe house." Tonks said.

"Looks like." Harry said. "Muggles don't have the same..."

"Shh" Lupin said.

"Annnnd...I'm back. Terribly sorry. There was a delivery, you see. It won't do for tea time, but..." Hughes said hurriedly, as he entered the little room, carrying a rather large flat box. Harry recogised it. He was sure Hermione would too. The smell itself was a dead give away to anyone else.

"I believe most do like having pizza, especially if it's a free gift." Hughes said, and set the box down on the table. He lifted the top flap. "I'm not sure who sent it, or even what kind it is..hope it has pepperoni...!"

Harry looked inside the box, curious, as it had been years since he last had pizza. And even then, it was days old, leftovers from Dudley Dursey's 6th birthday party. It had been forgotten in the back of the fridge. The smell of the fresh pizza was as heavenly to his nose now as it was then. He wondered what it tasted like.

But. Instead of seeing the expected pie, he saw a rather large note blocking his view of the molten cheese. It was written in the familiar, barely legible, and yet neat, scrawl. It said:

7658 market place. 6pm. If it's clear. We'll talk.

Hughes looked at the note, along with the rest of them.

"Should've known. Bloody brat. Must've knocked out another police officer or something." He said, and snorted with amusement. Then he looked at each of them. "Who wants pizza?"


	15. Moody encounter

A/N: Far too fun...I was trying to sqeeze in an encounter with the Knight bus, but i don't think it'll fit with the mood of this particular chapter.

* * *

Harry stood before Moody as the man looked at the note. Moody was frowning.

"No. Out of the question. No." Moody said vehemently, and handed the paper back to Harry. "Head back to headquarters immediately."

Harry's mouth dropped open.

"It's not that far away!" Harry said. "We can't just.."

They were standing in a nearby alleyway, out of sight of the Muggles on the street. The place was rather clean and well kept. The garbage bins were closed tight down about the middle, with their lids down. Harry couldn't even see stray cats wondering down it.

"Wrong. You wanted to know if he was alright. You just determined that. Proof's right there in your hand. There's no need for you to take any further, unnecessary risks."

Tonks palmed her face.

"Moody. He's just a kid...!" Tonks said.

"Who successfully ditched 4 Aurors, and 2 order members that I trained myself! Not to mention the fact he likely trapped the current head of the Aurors with that..that..whatever he does. No. Too risky for Harry."

"Afraid of a little challenge are you?" Tonks said, smiling.

"What?" Moody froze, and glared at Tonks with a narrowed eye, his other spinning wildly in its socket.

"They may be Muggle based, but Edward's using similar tatics you do." Tonks said. "And..he's only 16. Now, here's the question: are you going to let a mere kid beat you at your own game, Alastor? Or are you going to outsmart him?"

Moody growled, and glared once more at Tonks. "I never. EVER. Shy away from a REAL challenge..."

"You haven't even caught so much of a glimpse of him yet, now have you?" Harry said, then blinked. He was so surprised that he actually said that aloud, but he was determined not to let his surprise show. At the moment, he concentrated more on keeping his hands from covering his mouth than on meeting Moody's glare he was certain was shot his way.

Moody opened his mouth, then closed it. Then he blinked.

"Bloody hell." Moody scowled at Tonks. Then he glanced breifly at Harry. "Come on."

Moody marched ahead of them, leading the way to Market Place. Lupin fell back and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Well said." Lupin said softly, and walked beside Harry for a while.  
Ron, and Hermione were mutely accompanied by Tonks behind them.

7658 Market Place was another well kept shop. A coffee shop in fact, with a patio full of tables with large umbrellas that spilled out to the sidewalk, nearly reaching to the street. Moody stopped and stood by one table, it lone occupant typing away idly on a laptop. The other tables were similarly occupied. Moody turned and looked back to Tonks, and curled his lip in irritation. Then turn away and stalked inside.

"Well, may as well get comfortable. We have a few hours 'til the meet up." Tonks said cheerfully. To Harry's ears, it sounded rather forced.

"What's Moody doing?" Harry asked her, as they sat at their chosen tables. Tonks and Lupin sat on either side of him. Ron and Hermione sat together, across from him, that is, once Hermione managed to, politely, get the attention of the laptop typing person and got them to move elsewhere. (Oh! how Ron had stared at the device! 'He may just have inherited his father's facination with Muggle things' Harry thought.).

"He's...getting ready." Tonks said, and swallowed. She smiled at him, and again, it looked forced.

* * *

Ed sat nowhere near 7658 Market Place.

He was, in fact, browsing through books in a used bookstore, sitting comfortably on the top shelf, in this dusty section way in the back. It was his favorite section, as that was where the oldest of books were kept. Most, he knew, would be utter rubbish to him. There were the occasional gems to be found, however, which is what kept him looking there for the past few hours.

He heard the faint sound of bells which signaled the arrival of someone up front, and he suddenly remembered his note. He blinked, took out his pocket watch, and flicked it open.

The dial read 5:30.

With a reluctant sigh, he climbed down the ladder, replacing the watch as he went. His black gloved hand held his selection for the day. "Al-khimia" with no author known; It was more a pamphlet than a book really, with many many loose pages, written in a tiny script.

He dutifully paid his dues at the counter in the front and pocketed the book in the brown trench coat he had managed to salvage from a thrift store along that same street. His pants were from that same thrift store, being a dark brown. He had even managed to find a matching vest. Only the long sleeved, off-white woolen shirt remained the same as it did from the day before. He figured it didn't smell too badly just yet.

'Didn't want to chance them tracking me back to the hostel. No need to get anyone else caught up in my mess.' Ed thought, as he headed to Market Place. His eyes were still hidden behind dark glasses, and his hair was still long and loose, and dyed a deep black to match his gloves. He walked causally down the other side of the street, pretending to be window shopping. What he was really doing was watching the reflections on the glass. He blinked at what he saw, surprised.

Remus Lupin. The Tonks woman. Harry, Hermione, and Ron. All seated at a table together.

'Too good to be true. Too...easy.' Ed thought, and narrowed his eyes. 'Like they're bait.'

He turned and continued down the street. Following the crowd.

* * *

"He's there. Across the way." Moody's voice whispered in Harry's ear, and Harry jumped in response. He looked to Tonks. She jerked her chin and mouthed, "Cloak". Harry blinked.

"I was just looking across too. I didn't see him." Harry whispered.

"He's in disguise. Shhh.." Moody whispered. Someone stood up from a nearby table, folded up their laptop and packed up to leave. Once they were past them, Tonks whispered, "Disguise? You mean, he shapeshifted?"

"No. Don't think so." Moody whispered.

Ron and Hermione leaned forward to hear them better, and began looking around them suspiciously.

"So..What you think about what that Hughes guys said?" Hermione asked. "About Ed knowing his Great-great grandma?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know what to think, actually. You know wizards tend to live a long time, and he could be using polyjuice or something to look young. It could be anything, really." Harry said, thinking of how Ed looked at the trial. That look to his face when he mentioned his worst memory.

"You think he lied about his age?" Lupin said.

"At the trial..when he testified...I don't know.."Harry said. "His eyes just..looked so...OLD. Tired." Harry closed his eyes, and shook his head slightly.

There was silence at the table.

"What was this--World War Hughes mentioned? I never heard of it." Ron asked.

Harry sighed and leaned back into his chair. He just knew Ron's question would turn into a lecture from Hermione.

"Oh that. Muggles decided it was a good idea to lob destructive devices at each other around, um, 1940 I think. Destroyed London on the Muggle side of things so badly that they had to rebuild pretty much everything." Hermione said with authority to her voice.

Ron blinked.

"Germany had it much worse though." Hermione continued. "I remember reading about millions of people being killed in horrible ways. It no wonder his great-grandmother wanted a fresh start somewhere else."

"It was nice of him, offering tea to us. A bunch of strangers." Tonks said. "I wonder who this 'Elysia' is, though."

"She must be someone important." Lupin said. "I get the distinct feeling that he wouldn't have offered what he did if she wasn't mentioned first."

"Heh..Magic words..for Muggles." Ron said with a smile.

Harry smirked at his best friend.

"Well said." Hermione added, with a nod.

"Didn't even look at us." Moody whispered. "and he's not approaching either."

"Maybe your boots are showing." Lupin said.

"Shut it, you." Moody growled, it sounding quite odd as a whisper to Harry's ears.

"Did he just...leave?" Hermione asked, sounding quite worried.

"Shh" Moody whispered again.

"What's a police officer?" Ron asked.

* * *

Ed turned and walked some down the next street, then cut across and alley. Always looking about him. And above him. So far so good. He jumped over a fence, landing lightly on his feet, and rounded another corner.

'No one in robes.' He thought. 'What gives? Am I missing something?'

He followed the crowd...blending in. 7658 Market Place was just ahead. He stopped and leaned against the wall, watching everthing from beneath dark glasses. Ron and Hermione had their backs to him. He could see Harry's face. And a portion of Remus's and Tonks'. He blinked.

'The shadows...are odd.' He thought. 'Tonks' a shapeshifter. Maybe it's her?'

He continued to watch. Forcing himself to relax his posture.

* * *

"He's right there." Moody whispered. "He's good."

"Coming from you, that's rare praise." Tonks quipped quietly. "I still can't..oh. I think I see him."

"Where?"

"Shh, Harry. He'll hear." Moody whispered.

"That close?" Ron whimpered softly.

"What's he waiting for...?" Moody whispered..to himself, Harry thought.

Harry looked around and tried to spot Ed himself, but saw no gold headed short person around at all. Most around him were either too tall to be him, or the wrong gender. Thinking of disguises, he supposed Ed could easily pass himself off as a girl, but none of the females around even remotely resembled Ed at all. If he was a Metamorphamagus like Tonks, it would be an entirely different matter all together. He could be anyone then. Animagus had its own possiblities.

Tonks nudged his arm with her elbow, and he looked sharply at her. She looked down quickly with her eyes, and he followed with his own. She pointed with her index finger against the table, and he followed the direction it indicated.

"That's him?" He whispered incredulously.

"Yeah. Think so." Tonks whispered.

Harry saw long black hair and a brown trench coat. Someone causally leaning against the wall. He had to admit to himself that the size fit. If it really was Ed, the crowd on the street nearly smothered his presence from anyone's view. All that black hair nearly covered his face. Harry even picked out that the person was wearing dark glasses.

"Well. I going to greet him" Hermione said.

"What?!?" Moody gasped.

"He's a friend. We should be treating him like one." Hermione said, with particular emphasis on the word 'friend', and she got up from the table. Ron grabbed her hand and desperately tried to pull her back, but she wasn't having it. She slipped her hand away and turned, trying to spot Ed herself. She had, of course, seen Tonks pointing finger against the table.

"'ione!!" Harry hissed.

Hermione reached her hand upwards, and waved. It was vigorous, and quite friendly. Harry watched as the black haired figure turned it's head, and even tilt it slightly to the side. Then it looked down, and pushed off from the wall.

'Leave it to Hermione to solve things...' Harry thought, as he watch said figure work it's way through the light crowd and stand a few feet off from them at the table. The way he moved...and stood, it was definitely Ed.

"Hi." Harry said, not sure what else to say at that moment.

Ed removed the dark glasses, pocketing them with both black gloved hands into an interior pocket in the trench coat, revealing the even more startling gold eyes; they seemed to pop out next to the black color his hair was. Ed said nothing, instead, he seemed to be looking through Harry with a very cold glare. The eyes flowed to Lupin, then to Tonks. Then Hermione and Ron. Harry watched as they narrowed.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, taking a step forward towards him, one hand reaching. Ed held up a black gloved hand, the left one, and stopped her with that cold look. Hermione looked at Ed and blushed. Ed nodded a slight nod.

"Ansvwer me, Harry. Vwhat vwas reason I said I brought you notebook?"

"What? No 'Hello'? What's.." Harry blurted out.

"Ansvwer me or I go." Ed said firmly, and again his eyes seemed to look through him.

'No..that's not quite it.' Harry thought, and blinked.''Through' wouldn't be like that. It's like I'm a bug he's examining..or something.'

"It was to repay your debt." Harry said, his tone less bitter than he would have liked.

Ed nodded slightly. "Remus. Vwhat vwas it I called that 'Buckbeak' the first time I saw him?"

Lupins eyebrows rose on his face.

"Wow. It was in your language, whatever it was...um..'xxsshrkaherra'? Did I get close?"

Ed nodded a sharp nod.

"No. But good enough. Tonks. Vwhen you vwent to my side that first night at hideout to help me up, vwhat happened?"

"Bloody hell. You ARE just as bad as Moody. You pushed me away and staggered off on your own."

Ed looked sharply at her, but said nothing for the briefest of moments, then..

"Ron, How do your brothers, the twins, usually wake me?"

"Blimey. Tossing pillows at your head? Saying you're short?"

"VWHO'RE YOU CALLING A PIPSQUEEK BEAN SPROUT?!?" Ed yelled, hands in fists at his sides.

Harry noticed that the outburst caused quite a few stares to be leveled their way from the light crowd on the street and in the coffee house. He looked over at Ron, and smirked. Harry supposed Ron had gotten so used to Ed's rants, that he didn't react as much anymore. He had just jerked his head back a bit, and raised his eyebrows, even though he was the current source of Ed's anger for the merest mention of the 'taboo' word.

Ed frowned and opened his hands again. He then looked at them all once more. He then grabbed an entry chair from one of the other tables. He placed his right black gloved hand on the table, and sat down like he was ready to spring away any moment, roughly across from Tonks.

"So." With a sharp look to Tonks. "It's good to see you all again. How did the trial go, Harry? Did they give you light sentence or..?"

* * *

"What the HELL was THAT all about?!?" Harry said, loudly.

"You had us worried sick! What were you thinking?!? Running off on your own like that?!" Hermione said, jusy as loudly.

Ed grimmaced, then closed his eyes briefly. He sighed and opened his eyes. The look in them was softened, just a bit when he looked again at Hermione and then to Harry.

"You've dealt with Metamorphamaguses before." Tonks said softly, just above a whisper. Ed blinked and looked at her, face scrunched in confusion."The way you checked to see if we were who you thought we were...It's a dead giveaway."

"I do not know that vword. 'Metamorgaga..'"

"Metamorphamagus. Uh..'Shapeshifters'." Harry said.

"'Shape. Shifter.'" Ed frowned a bit and glanced down. As if tasting the word. Then he looked back to Tonks. "Yes. he could be called dat. The one I dealt vwith loves to hurt people, just to see them hurt. Killed them like they vere nothing. He..could be anyvone he vishes to be...but he has no...um.." Ed made a fist of his left hand, and thumped softly it against his chest. "He can never understand..um..certain tings. Moments...You..if you are you....are not like that from vwhat I have seen of you."

His sharp look returned at Tonks. She simply nodded. "I gave you the wrong answer."

Ed shifted his weight slightly off the chair. The touch of his right gloved hand featherlight against the table. The equation he needed to protect everyone hummed in his mind, and the circulating energy in his body ached against his nerves for release. "Your answer vas someting that could be seen by anyvone in dat room." Ed clarified. All he needed to do was release the energy into the table.

"You thanked me." Tonks said

Ed froze. And raised a single eyebrow.

"Well. You nodded your head at least. Same thing." Tonks snorted, and leaned back into her chair.

Ed rested his right hand back onto the table, and sat down completely into his chair. Then he nodded his slight nod. He saw Harry shake his head.

"Vwhat?"

"You. Your manners. What is it with you?" Harry said.

"Vwhat?!" Ed said, and scowled slightly.

"Never. Once. Do you ever. Think of people. You know? I've noticed that since I've met you. Would it have hurt to leave word where you were headed? What you were doing? People worry you know..!" Harry said.

"Talk about cauldron calling kettle..." Hermione muttered softly.

Ron sat mutely right next to her, watching Harry with a look of shock plastered on this face. "...sounds just like mum..." Ron whispered.

"I didn't ask to be taken to that house..." Ed said evenly.

"I overheard them. At the trial!" Harry interrupted. "They were going to have you obliviated..."

"'Oblivi'--vhat..?'"

"Shut it" Remus said softly. "Both of you. If you want to have a row with him, Harry, it will have to be someplace more private. You're drawing eyes."

Harry glanced at Remus, then glared at Ed. Green eyes met gold and held. There was silence for several moments. Then Harry hissed and grabbed for his forehead, squinting his eyes shut in pain. Ed blinked.

"..Harry?" Ed breathed, and stood up. He shook his hands out, releasing the equation, then moved quickly to reach Harry's side. Remus held him back with an outstretched arm. Ed stopped just short of touching it.

"It's nothing." Harry said, blinking tears away from his eyes, catching his breath.

"Bullshit. That much pain is no nothing." Ed said, stepping back into his seat. He absently rubbed at the bandage at his neck with his left hand as he regarded Harry, his concern plain on his face.

"Your neck still needs a few weeks of treatment, you know." Remus said.

"I can handle it. It is only itch." Ed said, jaw sticking out in a stubborn line. Then he felt something fleshy glance off the top back of his head. He blinked, and glared at the source.

Hermione glared right back at him. Blushing while she did so, but glaring all the same.

"Vwhat did you do dat..."

"Stubborn jerk..!" Ed blushed. The words were just too similar. And the tone..! He didn't quite hear the rest of what she had to say. Except the part that ended. "...back at the house."

"No." Ed said, and looked away from her. "I vill not go back dere."

There was silence.

"Your medicine is there, Ed. You have to at least get treatment." Hermione said slowly. "If that thing goes bad..."

"This vill sound lot crazy to you. " Ed sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his left hand. "Just because you cannot see them, does not mean I am not being followed. Or vatched. My disguise is good, but not that good. I vill be found, if they vant me found."

"All the more reason for you to go..!" Harry blurted. "The Ministry doesn't..!"

"It is not your 'Ministry' I am talking about..." Ed said softly.

Ed looked at Harry, eyebrows skewed up. "Harry. You said I do not think about people. I.." Ed looked away, and blinked. "I should go. You should leave when its.." Ed move to get up but found his right arm kept him in place. He looked down. Tonks had extended her own arm across the table to grab it before he could move away. Her arm was just slightly unnaturally long.

"Arrgh. Stop it already." Tonks said. "The house is secure. You have been safe there for a while now."

"Its not me I vorry for." Ed said, leaning onto the table with both hands, giving up on leaving for now. He looked at each of them, and found he couldn't push them away like he knew had to. "Tch!"

He sat down and crossed his arms on his chest, scowling.

"Maybe you right. You have dis.." Ed's nose scrunched with disgust. "'Magic'. Maybe it vill do if they come. I vanted to track dem down, dat one I told you about already in particular, but.." He rubbed his badge with his gloved left hand. "I know I am not 100 percent yet to do so."

"100 percent?" Ron asked. "Huh?"

"He means he's not well." Hermione said, and she narrowed her eyes. "Tell me, by the way you say 'magic'..."

Ed snorted.

"I am scientist. I do not believe in magic. Just because I cannot explain a ting, does not make it magic." Ed said, looking at her with a scowl. "Most of vwhat I saw in dat house looks to me like overuse and abuse of tings that I am familiar vwith and fill me vith disgust."

"Well, we WERE cleaning it out for a reason." Harry said.

Ed smirked.


	16. Hostel ErrandsMuggle side, p1

"He means he's not well." Hermione said, and she narrowed her eyes. "Tell me, by the way you say 'magic'..."

Ed snorted.

"I am scientist. I do not believe in magic. Just because I cannot explain a ting, does not make it magic." Ed said, looking at her with a scowl. "Most of vwhat I saw in dat house looks to me like overuse and abuse of tings that I am familiar vwith and fill me vith disgust."

"Well, we WERE cleaning it out for a reason." Harry said.

Ed smirked.

Hermione looked down, face scrunched in confusion. "A scientist...? How can a scientist...do what we saw you do?"

Ed's eyebrows rose and he looked over at her. Her voice had seemed so lost to his ears, his smirk faded from his face.

"What's a scientist?" Ron said, and looked to Hermione, frowning at her expression.

Harry cleared his throat.

"It's a Muggle thing, Ron. I would like to know how he did what he did too." Harry looked pointedly at Ed, and raised his eyebrows.

"Den you can say vwhat I did vas a "Muggle" ting as vwell. It vwas but a thing of applied science. No more. No less." Ed said. He watched as they all blinked at him and raised their eyebrows. He sighed, shook his head, and looked away.

"You say that..hair thing...was this 'science'?" Tonks said. Ed glanced back at her.

"Yeah. Vas but..vhat..ting of water...a.." Ed blinked, and grimmaced, "'Change of status'....no. 'State'. Change of state. Dat Severus called it vright ven vere talking after, calling it 'parlor treek'."

"Snape?? That greasy git called that wandless..magic..you did..a trick?!?" Harry said, mouth dropping open.

Ed shrugged.

"It vas obvious to any that knew that vwas vhat it vas." Ed took a breath, and blinked."Vwhat's vith dis 'Muggle' and 'Mud-blood' stuff anyvay? Those vords have been tossed at me since you took me to dat place. I know dat they are meant to be insults, and. I vould like to know de reason I am being insulted!"

"You really don't know, do you?" Remus said.

"No..I alvready know de answers to my questions before I ask dem. Vreeaally." Ed said and rolled his eyes.

"It's not just you Ed. Those words are also meant for me. And Harry." Hermione said softly. "It's because we have non magical parents. Both of mine. One of his."

Ed blinked. And scowled. Several moments passed in silence.

"Dat vould be like if one parent loved the science or math, and the other didn't..? Right?" Ed looked at them one by one.

"Magic is said to be something passed on in the blood. It's inherited. Like your..um..er..hair color." Harry said in nearly a whisper.

Ed smirked. Then jerked at a lock of the black mop that passed as his hair.

"Just dye." He said simply, and looked to Harry, then to Tonks with a raised eyebrow, knowing well her abilities. He looked down for a few moments, smirk gone as fast as it had appeared, thinking. "I am not liking it. This secret. This 'Ministry'." Ed said. "It gives too much power to too few. It is unbalanced..."

"If we are going to be speaking about things like this, I suggest we head back to the house." Lupin said quietly.

Ed clasped his black gloved hands together in front of his face and leaned his elbows on the table. "It's not vright." Ed said, and frowned. "People. Ordinary people. Can. Be trusted vith tings like dis. It should not be a big secret."

"It's the law." Tonks said firmly.

"Some are trusted, Ed. Just..give us a chance..." Hermione began softly...

"I saw dat courtroom. That vwas no school expulsion hearing." Ed said. "Fact is dis:I am Muggle. You can not be telling me anyting without taking big risk and maybe get charged with a terrible crime. I myself can not know a ting without getting shot at by those stick tings you people like to be using." Ed absently rubbed the bandage with his left hand, and looked at each in turn.

"I'm not sure if you are a Muggle or not, Edward." Remus said. "Those things that you did were certainly..special."

"It really looked like magic to me." Ron added enthusiastically.

Ed said "Fucken dumbass!" venomously in Amestrian. Then, in English:

"That is making tings better!?!" Ed demanded as he slammed his right fist to the table, and glared at Remus and Ron.

A few uncomfortable moments passed. Ed snorted and sat back.

"Tch. I vould like to get some tings if I am to be going back to dat house. Like my clothes. Books. vResearch notes..Being locked in and having no ting to do makes vant to be climbing valls..."

'Or destroy the whole damn structure altogether...' Ed thought to himself.

"Right. Shall we?" Tonks said with a cheery smile plastered on her face. To Ed, it looked entirely fake.

* * *

They walked as a group until they reached a well lit, glass fronted store front that had a cheery sign lit up that said "Mail Boxes Inc."

Without a word, Ed headed inside.

Remus and Tonks stood by the door by the entrance, while Ed turned and went down a narrow hall to a larger, well lit room just beyond, and still quite visible though the glass. This room contained innumerable boxes, lining all the walls, and even forming partition walls of their own, all of which had tiny locks upon them. As Harry looked, he noticed that they all were labeled with numbers. Ed marched along to the back, as if he knew exactly where he was going, and Harry couldn't help but want to follow him. Part of him was afraid Ed would just vanish on him again, and he'd loose another friend.

Then he felt an hand on his arm. He glanced down, and saw nothing.

'Must be Moody.' He thought. The man was still under some sort of invisibility cloak.

"Keep back. Harry. " He heard the man whisper gruffly.

Hermione and Ron went on and followed Ed slowly; Ron looking about with a supremely confused expression plastered on his face, Hermione looking positively bored, as if she had seen things like this far too often.

Harry watched as Ed turned and squatted on the ground. Ed lifted his left pant leg, revealing the false leg beneath, then juggled what looked like the knee, and the entire front plate just opened up. Ed reached inside with his left hand, felt around for a bit, and removed something that jingled musically. He then stood up and mussed with a lock on a rather large looking box. He pulled the door open, and a number of white envelopes fell to the ground right in front of him, spilling out of the box before he could bother to catch them.

Ed then grabbed a handful, and pulled the whole lot out. He didn't even glance at them; just stuffed handful after handful into the outer pockets of his trenchcoat. Once the box was empty, he closed the door, and replaced the jugging things, which Harry assumed were keys, back within his false metal left leg. Closed it and dropped his pantleg to its proper position.

Ed then stood and turned about. Harry saw he was looking down at a note, a plain white sheet that had been placed loose in the box, in his black gloved hand as he walked back. His face hard, but unreadable.

"Something wrong?" Hermione asked.

Ed looked up from the note quickly as if noticing them all for the first time, then swallowed.

"No." Ed said, with a smile at Hermione. He then looked down and pocketed the note into his vest. "The hostil is just down the street. Ve should be able to make dat last bus in plenty time."

Harry thought the smile looked rather forced, but said nothing. Ed walked forward, and a few of the envelopes managed to spill out of his coat now overstuffed coat pockets. Both Ron and Hermione dove to catch them.

"Blimey!" Ron said, "Watch it...!"

"Oh!" Hermione said, eyes widening as she read one of the envelope's front.

Ed turned, sighed, and held out his gloved left hand for the envelopes in question. Hermione blinked, and handed hers over with a slightly shaking hand. Ron looked at her with an odd expression on his face, and did the same. Ed nodded and turned back to the door. He walked out at a brisk pace, but no more envelopes escaped from his overstuffed coat pockets.

"What is it 'ione?" Harry asked as they followed down the sidewalk behind the far leading Ed. It seemed they three were clustered together as they walked, with Lupin a short ways in front, and Tonks a bit behind. (Who knew where Moody had positioned himself, but as he was invisible anyway, did it really matter?)

"That letter. It was from NASA." Hermione said.

"Naa-saa?" Ron said, as hopeless as ever when it came to Muggle things. Hermione rolled her eyes, not wanting to explain Muggle things like 'space ships' to Ron just yet. Harry had heard about the agency when he had attended Muggle school, so he certainly knew what it was.

"Really?" Harry said, a little surprised. "What about it?"

"It looked like it was hand addressed. Friendly like. Not a form letter I mean, which is what Muggles usually get back when they write to them for pictures or something. It..just surprised me." Hermione blinked. "What did yours say, Ron?" Hermione said as she glanced at him.

"Um. I just saw the first few letters of the one on top. I think it was for mittens or something." Ron said with a frown, then shrugged.

Harry blinked, and looked ahead.

Far out in front them, Ed walked with his head down and shoulders slumped. It was certainly odd to watch the former blond with such black hair.

* * *

Harry saw the well lit, painted sign, hanging from a pair of chains from the ledge above which read:

Pleasant Company Youth Hostile Est 1976 690 Birch Street

As Ed was far ahead of them, he approached the sign first...and then passed right by it, walking on with that same slumped shouldered walk he had assumed shortly after they had left the mail place. Harry was unconcerned, figuring that there had to be other such places on this Birch street. Maybe they hadn't reached it yet. They walked on for a block or so, and Ed suddenly jogged across the street, watching for cars along the way. He stopped at the corner, and looked over at them, still, for several hearbeats.

'Oh no..He's doing it again. He's actually...ditching us.' Harry thought. He felt a sick feeling rising in his stomach as Ed disappeared from view into the dark alley.

"Is he.." Hermione gasped.

"'e's ditchin' us?!?" Ron hissed.

Lupin looked back at them, and, with a jerk of his chin, looked both ways on the street.

"Come on." Harry heard behind him. The voice gruff and low...it had to be Moody. In moments, they had all managed to both avoid being hit by Muggle traffic vehicles and safely arrived at the alley mouth that Harry had seen Ed disappear into. Lupin stood just in front of him, reaching into a pocket of his jacket. In the darkness, Harry could see some movement, like white skin against shadows.

"No sticks. Come back here vith me." Harry heard Ed call out.

"What do you think you'r..!"

"Dere is problem." Ed interrupted. Ed's poked his head out slightly from the shadows, and piercing gold eyes looked down the street."Come." Ed ducked back into the alley and melted into the shadows.

Harry hesitated. He glanced at Hermione, and Ron. Both friends seemed just as unwilling to move.

'No wands'? Harry thought. They'd be helpless...if..something dark like Deatheaters or even the stray Acumatuala showed up in that dark..well it WAS a Muggle alley....

"You draw unvanted eyes." Ed called, voice full of impatience, though it sounded like it was futher down the alleyway. "You come or vait for me at hostel door for talking after. Decide now."

Harry heard a bang! of metal against metal in the alley, and jumped. Harry took one glance back at Tonks.

"Grip your wand firmly Harry, just in case." Tonks said, and he saw she already had ahold of hers, within her pocket. Without a second glance back, or at his friends, he stepped into the darkness.

It took several minutes, but his eyes adjusted to the dark of the alley. He saw Ed, squatted atop a large, and rather full metal trash bin, picking though some plastic bags with his gloved hands, searching though the refuse for something. Harry saw a glint of metal, as Ed found something, and tossed it to the ground below. He did this several times. Ed worked in silence, ignoring them completely as he searched through the refuse. Harry took a breath.

"Ha!" Ed smiled, and another glint of metal could been seen. He then tossed the last piece of whatever it was to the ground and jumped lightly to the ground himself. (Quite the feat considering the bin itself was easily as tall as Harry was, and he towered over Ed by at least a foot) He then took off his trench coat, tossed it aside to the ground, and gathered up his collection of former residents of the garbage bin from the ground into his both hands. He then looked up, and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh..so you decided to join me." Ed said in a friendly manner. The friendliest Harry had ever heard from Ed. Ever. "You said there was a problem?" Lupin said.

"Yeah. Very small vone. Dere is someone vith a stick at hostel. Couldn't see vere vho had it vas, but I did feel it." Ed smiled, then looked behind him to the gargage bin, and walked there tightly holding his bundle. Harry couldn't really see him, but he did hear a distinctive sound. Followed by the blue light.

"FEEL it?" Tonks said, incredulously.

"Vhat. You didn't?" Ed said, and emerged from behind the bin. A metal tube in his hand. After several moments of looking, Harry recognised it.

"What are you doing with a torchlight?" Harry said.

"Dis? No ting." Ed set it on top the bin, and reached into his pants pocket and pulled out two metalic cylinders with his left hand. "Not unless I can remember vat dese tings are made of anyvay. Vas it carbon? Or lithium...? Anyvay. Dese vones are dead and useless to me."

"You can FEEL. A wand." Lupin stated, tone just as incredulous as Tonks.

"If it's pointed at me, yeah." Ed looked up at them for a moment from his pondering of batteries. "AH! Got it. Solid carbon core...copper..and zinc." Ed brought his hands together, and the blue light flashed, nearly blinding Harry in its intensity. Ed then turned back to the flashlight, unscrewed the top, and placed the batteries within. In moments, he flicked the switch, and the torchlight flared, overly bright in the darkness of the alleyway.

"I'm going below." Ed said, matter of factly. The torchlight found a target near the center of the alley. "Trew dat. If all goes vell, I vill becoming out the front door of hostel in about 15 minutes. 30 if not. Be listening for alarms."

"Hold it a tick." Harry said. "Let me get this straight. You are going.. through the sewers?"

"Vell..I COULD always jump from rooftop to rooftop, but that not vould draw nearly enough attention to me." Ed said, deadpan with a single raised eyebrow. "Vwatch my coat, vill you?"

"Wait." Tonks said. "There's no way I'm letting a kid go alone."

"Do not be calling me child!" Ed said in a flat tone.

He turned and walked over the the manhole cover. With his right hand, He firmly grabbed the latch and lifted it with a slight grunt. He set it aside on the ground where it gave a rather loud metallic THUNK! against the cobblestone street, and flicked the torch down the opening.

"I'm just saying that there's bound to be more than one there." Tonks said. "Be reasonable. You need SOMEone to watch your back."

Ed looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"Do not be taking dis vrong vay. If you vant to come vith me, I vill not be stopping you." He then regarded the entrance to the sewers, and rubbed at his bandage at his neck. "Be certain not to get in my vay."

Harry took a step forward to join Ed, but felt a pair of hammy hands on his shoulders.

'No Harry.' Moody whispered ever so softly. Harry scowled. Hermione and Ron both looked at him and frowned. Had they heard Moody, too?

Harry then saw Ed hook the flashlight on his belt, and descend into the darkness below.


	17. Hostel ErrandsMuggle side, p2

A/N: Thinking of mixing the different versions of Ed out there. I do like the anime Ed(yes, he IS VERY good at sneaking around--he hunted rabbits for dinner for a month, remember?) , and there are bits of the manga Ed in my writing of him, and also, believe it or not, the NOVELLA Ed. I actually have one. And, well, he's still a bit of a jerk, even in novel form.

I didn't like how I was handling Moody, considering he's supposed to "revel" in the dangerous stuff. So..I changed it. I hope you like it, and actually catch what's going on.

* * *

Once his feet hit the walkway below the ladder, Ed once again grabbed the flashlight and gave the sewers a good look.

'Smaller that I thought they'd be' he thought.

It looked much like a small corridor. There were pipes of course, as wide as his hand running along what passed as a ceiling. The walls were a mixture of old brick and concrete. The air was moist and warm. The walkway below his feet was split in the center, letting the dark water flow freely. Ed noted the direction of its flow.

'Wouldn't do to get lost, now would it, Fullmetal.' He heard in his head. The annoying voice of the Colonel Bastard himself, though he was a world away now. Ed smirked, then frowned. Not wanting the feelings that came with the thought at the moment. He had a task to do, which came first. He shut it away within himself, turned, and headed in the direction of the hostel. In a few steps, he once again hooked the flashlight to his belt, light pointed upwards, freeing his hands.

"Wotcher." Ed heard behind him. "Oy Ed...Wait up." Ed rolled his eyes, and turned his head, slowing to a stop with great reluctance.

In the dim light, he saw the Tonks woman climb down the ladder, and jump to the walkway below. She teetered dangerously, nearly falling into the churning black water, but managed to catch her balance just in time. Her hair changed color before his eyes to a neon yellow. She reached within her jacket for something, as she looked about her. Ed saw but the tip.

"No sticks." He said.

"What?"

"I feel if dey are pointed at me." Ed said, "I need to know for certain de vhere they are. Understand?"

"No."

Ed sighed. And blinked.

"Your sticks..dey feel much like vhat I do. I know when such tings are..um..active..to be keeping me safe when I am using dem." Ed watched her face, and saw just confusion. "Tch. Dis not vworking. I do not have vords...and you vill not be understanding."

"How about if I make sure I don't point it at you?" Tonks said, and she took a few steps closer to Ed.

Ed narrowed his eyes. "Try. Let me see."

Tonks took out her wand fully into her hand and pointed it at the wall. "Lumos." He saw she whispered. He could not hear her over the sound of the water. The tip glowed brightly in the darkness.

Ed closed his eyes and focused inwards. Feeling the flow of energy in the air..the hum of it within his chest. Moments passed. He shook his head.

"Hard to put in vords. Should be fine...I should being able to tell." Ed opened his eyes, turned, and walked. Tonks fell in just behind him, judging by the feel of the wand in his chest. "Maybe you can explain dis to me. Wvhy don't dey use guns?"

"Guns? What are those?"

Ed glanced back and gave her a hard look. 'Are you serious that you DON'T know about guns?', he thought while examining her expression. Her face, though, appeared to be genuinely curious, like it was an honest question. He blinked, and looked forward.

"Common wveapons. Used when meaning to kill."

"You think wands...are weapons?"

Ed snorted in contempt.

"Pleeease..I vould not be in dis sewer if I did not. KNOW. For certain. They are veapons. "

'So..they greatly prefer wands to guns. This makes this both easier and harder. If they are like arrays..who knows what they can do.' he thought.

For the next several moments, there was no conversation. The only sounds were that of their footsteps, and the running water. Ed turned at a junction, and...

'Footsteps...'

Ed stopped, and turned his head.

"Wha.."  
Ed help up a gloved hand to keep her quiet, and narrowed his eyes. Then he glanced back. After a moment, he then turned completely around, and watched the narrow walls around them. Tonks looked bewildered.

"You are having mass that is not visible?" Ed asked, after a few moments.

Her eyebrows lowered and she frowned. Her hair changed colors, to brilliant red, and she folded her arms. She tapped her wand firmly against one arm.

Ed snorted. 'Women..!' He thought.

"De shadows around you are...veird. I vas also hearing extra footsteps just now."

Tonks narrowed her eyes.

"Between You. and Moody, I swear...!" She growled. "How much further?"

* * *

Harry took a step forward to join Ed, but felt a pair of hammy hands on his shoulders.

'No Harry.' Moody whispered ever so softly. Harry scowled. Hermione and Ron both looked at him and frowned. Had they heard Moody, too?

Harry then saw Ed hook the flashlight on his belt, and descend into the darkness below.

"Tonks.." Moody called softly, and Harry saw a disembodied hand with a wand in it from the corner of his eye. There was the barest of wand flicks, then rest of Moody emerged, his grey hair mussed slightly from being beneath the invisibility cloak.

"Keep a close eye on him. Dumbledore'll want a full report." Harry saw Moody's blue eye spin wildly in it's socket. "Better hurry, or you'll get left behind. He's halfway down the passage, now."

"Uh..sure." Tonks blinked, and looked over at Moody. "Report?"

"Later. Get going."

She nodded and climbed down, hair shifting to a greenish tinge as she went into the darker darkness below.

"Is he right? I mean, are there obliviators there waiting for him?" Harry asked.

Moody finished up folding his invisibility cloak and placed in a pocket of his coat.

"No." Moody said. "There's Aurors. I saw 4. One of 'em I know isn't all that friendly when it comes to Muggles."

"You're going to let him walk right into that?" Hermione all but shouted. "but that's..!"

"Kid didn't ask for help. From what I saw, he can handle himself."

"Moody..." Lupin began. "...He didn't even know you were there..."

"Is that surprising? My cloak IS a good one, Lupin."

Moody walked over to the manhole cover, bent, and took a firm hold of the latch with one hand. By the strained look on his face, and the tremors that shook his entire body, Harry guessed the man was trying to lift it, much like Ed had easily done moments before. Lupin tilted his head and looked on. After a few moments, Moody let out a disgusted breath.

"Some arm he's got.." Moody shook his head slightly.

"Is that a bit of jealousy I hear..?" Lupin said, and bent to try lifting the cover as well. He soon found that the best he could do was a few bare centimeters, with both hands on the latch.

"Hardly. Just don't trust 'im."

Both wizards stood up then and flicked their wands. "Locomotor cover" both said, nearly as one. Ever so slowly, like the magic itself thought it far too heavy as well, the cover moved back into its place with the tangy sound of metal scraping against metal.

With nothing else he could do, Harry went to Ed's discarded trench coat. He felt furious. He had wanted so badly follow Ed, but part of him understood why he couldn't. These adults. They had protected him. They went to great lengths to do that. Why couldn't they do the same for his friend..? Couldn't they just...?

Harry roughly picked up the coat by the collar, and, nearly violently, folded the long coat in half. Nearly immediately, the overstuffed pockets emptied themselves of their contents, and all the envelopes contained withing fell to the the alley's cobblestone ground. Harry found himself surrounded by the rustling sound of many papers..and a single PLATT!. It was a slight platt!, but he still turned to look for its source, even as he crouched to picked up what he had just caused to fall out.

It was a book.

He glanced around, and saw that both Hermione and Ron were crouched, wordlessly helping him out. Helping him to clean up his mess. Even Lupin had bent to the task of collecting the enormous amount of fallen envelopes from the ground of the dark alley.

As he reached out his hand, he saw Hermione's reach the book first. She picked it up and flipped it over. He could hardly read the title, it being but a shadow against the shadows of the alley. The title read:

Al-khimia

There was more, but the letters were but the jibberish and nonsense of odd shapes and forms in the dark. He heard Hermione took a breath, while he held his.

"Al-Al-khimia...Alchemy. He studies alchemy..." She breathed.

"ALCHEMY? Isn't that like..um...stuff like advanced potion making..?" Ron said, and looked at the book himself, tilting his head.

"Yes. ..This is a Muggle book..." Hermione said softly, busying her hands collecting the letters. "It..could mean nothing... He could be collecting old books for all we know. Maybe it's chemistry related or something."

"Chemistry?"

Harry blinked, and took the book himself. He placed it carefully upon his lap before continuing his task with the letters. His mind buzzing with questions that he hoped could be answered by Ed himself...if Ed managed to get past the Aurors that were lying in wait for him at the hostel. Harry found himself wishing for his broom.

"It's a Muggle science, Ron." Harry said absently, as he worked. He felt so useless.

* * *

Ed turned to the solid mass of bricks and concrete before him and looked up. His eyes traced the pipes.

"Dis should be de place." He said simply, and tilted his head.

'That one must be the gas line.' He thought, visually following a rather thin pipe in particular above his head.

"Great. Now what? Find another openin.."

"No. Ve go threw here." Ed said as he looked at the wall, and narrowed his golden eyes.

He clapped his hands firmly together, the distinctive sound cutting though the babbling of the dark water flowing past them both. He felt the warming energy circulate throughout his body, then down both his mismatched his arms. The equation glowing firmly in his mind. Satisfied that it was balanced and whole, he slammed both hands against the unforgiving mass of concrete and bricks. And then the released the energy, focused now through his will alone. There was a boom, and the blue streaks of lightning indicating a balanced equation, and he allowed himself a smirk of satisfaction, glad he could properly focus now.

Beneath his hands the matter of the block of wall and earth reformed itself into a low circular tunnel. Ed entered it before it even had finished. He walked a ways in and looked up, his nose less than a foot away from the ceiling. He took the black glove off his left hand, placed the living flesh on the curved ceiling, and closed his eyes. Focused.

"Tch. The pipes go straight through. No good." Ed said in Amestrian, and placed the hand to the curved wall on his right. He didn't bother with the left. That would only lead back to the sewers. He clapped his hands again. And slammed them against the curved wall. Blue light flashed. The wall reformed into yet another curved tunnel with the force of the equation in his mind and his will, this one only about a meter deep. He put his bare hand on the curved ceiling, and focused once more. At length he nodded, clapped his hands together, and gently touched the ceiling, keeping his fingers splayed, adjusting the equation as he went.

'Careful. careful...that gas line is..ah..there it is..'Ed thought, and with about a foot to go, stopped, dropping some of the extra material as a ladder for himself to climb up on. Then he felt it.

The distinctive hum of an active array...deep in his chest. He let go of the first rung in a quick smooth motion and entered his fight stance, right arm leading, ready to dodge whatever it....Then he saw the wide dark eyes of Tonks, the light at the tip of her wand pointed right at him at the entrance of his second tunnel. She blinked, and swallowed.

"Fuck." He said in Amestrian. In English, "Shit." Ed said as he broke his fight stance. Mentally kicking himself, knowing he let his focus on the alchemical equations get the better of him.

"S-sorry.." She said. "I w-wanted to see..." She swallowed again.

He nodded, and reached up to the rung on his ladder. Without a word, he pulled himself up.

"Where are you opening this up..?" Tonks asked.

"Broom closet...I tink." Ed said. He hooked his legs in the rungs and freed his hands. He looked down, and flicked the switch of his torchlight. "Put dat out. Reaction light is bad 'noff, yes?"

Tonks said a soft, "Nox" and the light of her wand faded to nothing. Leaving both in the darkness that looked much the same with eyes open or closed.

"Vith any luck, dere vill be no boom." Ed whispered. Then he clapped his hands, and touched the ceiling. Blue light flashed, and the equation asserted Ed's will ever so slowly. Ed blinked. 'Shit.' He thought as he caught a large falling square, that was flat, SOMETHING with both hands. Light spilled into the tunnel. His eyes adjusted, and he noticed that the light was incredibly dim.

'But...tile?!?' He thought, and put the piece up above him, gently, making no sound. He then poked his nose up, and glanced to the sides.

"Luc-ky..!" Ed said in Amestrian, and climbed the rest of the way up with enthusiasm. He poked his head over the edge of his tunnel.

"Dis is master bathroom. No vone uses it. Come." Ed said. "De rest of dis vill be easy."

"Famous last vords." Tonks quipped, in imitation of Ed's accent, and she climbed quickly.

Ed snorted. Once she was clear of the tunnel, he clapped his hands once more, and placed his hands on the edge of the hole. Blue lightening flashed wildly, and he felt his dyed black hair blowing upwards off his neck from the sheer force of the reaction. Once the equation completed itself, the tunnel was filled.

"That a good idea? What if we have to go back that way?"

"Ve von't." Ed said, and stood. He blinked, then flexed his left fingers. The living fingers. He lifted the hand. "Dammit. Left my glove down dere."

Ed heard a crunch, and cringed.

"What the bloody hell did I just step on?" Tonks said, and stepped back a few paces.

"Piece of tile I tink I forgot to be including in equation."

"The what?"

"Is no big deal." Ed squatted, clapped his hands together and touched the broken square of tile. Blue light flashed. The tile was now whole. He lifted it, and placed it back where it belonged on the floor. He clapped his hands again, and touched the tile again. Blue light flashed quickly, like a flashbulb on a camera. He then stood up, and brushed off his long pants. He looked at Tonks, and grinned. "Come." And he opened the bathroom door.

* * *

POP!

Startled, Harry dropped a letter from the last pile in his hands, and looked for the source of the sound with wide eyes. Hermione, Ron and Lupin clutched at their wands.

"Wotcher, easy...It's just me." Tonks said, breathless, and waving at them from where she had just apporated, near the garbage bin.

"What happened? Where's Ed?!?" Harry blurted out.

"Moody..!!!" Tonks called. "Where the bloody hell is he?"

"He was just.." Lupin began, then blinked as he realised what had happened. "He's gone...!"

Lupin looked over to Tonks, concern painted all over his face. Tonks frowned, and looked down.

"What happened?" Lupin asked softly.

"I think I got 'stupified' just as Ed was doing something big down there. He was somehow making a tunnel, using just his hands. I woke up as it sealed itself back up." Tonks said.

Harry felt a chunk of ice in pit of his stomach.

"You mean...Ed's all alone?" Ron said.


	18. Hostel ErrandsMuggle side, p3

A/N:Ed went and did something Ed-ish again. Postponing my wrap up to this little side trip into Muggleland. Again..I hope this makes sense, especially since there IS a lot going on behind the scenes. Never did find out EXACTLY what Aurors do..maybe they're a combination of Canadian mounties and superspies, with that 'magic' thrown in and all, eh?

Anyhow..revealing more of how Ed is so far in Muggle land...

* * *

Ed's head was alternating between a pounding pain and a kind of sick swirling swim by the time he reached the third level, and he let his right shoulder housing lean against the wall a moment in the stairwell; The move he hoped was masked as letting a large group of guests past on their way down. He blinked, and looked over his left shoulder.

'Tonks...still with me..?' He thought.

He saw that she stood right behind him. Bright dark eyes and angry red, short spiked hair. Dark, trenchcoat-like, um, outerwear. Tshirt and jeans beneath that. At the moment, she was watching the other guests make their way past. Her wand was out of sight, likely in a handy pocket.

He took a deep breath, willing his focus back, and turned away.

"You alright?" He stiffened as he heard Tonks voice.

"Fine." He breathed...He scowled at himself; he knew this was too much too soon, especially with a concussion as bad as he had. His voice didn't even sound at all convincing to his even his ears. He had no choice but to finish what he started now.

"My place dis vay." As he opened the door to the third level, the burn at his neck began to throb in time with his head. He absently rubbed the bandage that covered it with his now gloveless left hand, and gritted his teeth.

The hall was deserted, and he walked briskly to his assigned area in the open design. His area was little more than a single bed with a metal box that passed as a nightstand beside it, located beneath a twin bed bunked above it. He went straight to the box and opened the door; He drew out a rather large faded green knapsack and shook it out. Satisified it was still somewhat servicable, he tossed it to the bed and got to his feet.

He was startled slightly when he noticed Tonks standing just too close for his comfort, yet not standing under the bunk with him. He met her eyes, and she moved aside wordlessly.

He walked towards the open closet next. It had been a "walk-in closet" at one time, but the door had been removed, and a series of lockers had been placed, and bolted inside when..he supposed..whatever this building had been was converted over to being a hostel. His assigned, and rather large, locker was located in the back, against the far wall, along with a smaller ones that contained his clothes, books, and papers. Those he packed quickly into the knapsack on the single bed easily enough.

"What the SHIT?!?" Ed swore in Amestrian when he looked at the lock on the big locker. A quick clap and touch broke it open, but he knew what'd he'd find within already. He kicked the door hard with his left foot. The locker issued a quite loud, satisfying, but empty BANG!, one that left a deep dent on the metal door. It nowhere near dimmed his flaring temper, amplified as it was by his pounding head.

"Something wrong?" He heard Tonks ask in English. He willed his temper down with some difficulty before answering.

"No. Somevone is having a funny with me." Ed grumbled loudly. "My roommate most likely, the lock picking..." He paused. He found English such an inadequate languge when needing to swear..! "tch!...jerk!!!"

Ed stalked out of the closet, and scanned the room with his golden eyes.

'There..the corner.' He thought, looking up at a tiny spot in the ceiling. He headed to it and stopped just below.

"What are you...?"

Ed made what he had learned was a very rude jesture with his both his hands, directed at the spot in the ceiling. He then turned his head to regard Tonks.

"Dat spot up dere..?" Ed jerked his chin. "Iz camera. Vone of my roommates is techno-geek. Iz his design. He'll be here soon as he sees..."

"...That really you, Eddie?" A laughing voice from the hall called.

Ed scowled, turned about, and folded his arms across his chest.

"Wow. Black really does something for YOU." His roommate approached, dressed in black jeans and black tshirt. He had a shock of black hair, too pale skin, and a pair of round and incredibly thick, black framed glasses that made his dark almond shaped eyes appear far too big for his head. "It's a good look. You should keep it."

* * *

"I think I got 'stupified' just as Ed was doing something big down there. He was somehow making a tunnel, using just his hands. I woke up as it sealed itself back up." Tonks said.

Harry felt a chunk of ice in pit of his stomach.

"You mean...Ed's all alone?" Ron said.

Harry blinked. One thought flashing in his mind. 'Ed's alone.'

"Wait." Harry said, thinking out loud more than anything else. "What if...What if we went in after him? They're looking for a Muggle, not.."

"Harry. You can't. What if there are..other things after you..?" Hermione said. "Muggles can't.."

"I'm not saying I'm going it alone!" Harry looked desperately to their two guardians in the dark alley.

Lupin spoke low, quiet. "...Tonks..Could you take Ed's form?

"I'm following you." Tonks said thoughtfully. "This could work, especially since there's that confusion of if he's a wizard or not. Auror or not, I know I can't be the only one .."

Then she closed her eyes and screwed up her face in concentration. Before their eyes, her body shrunk, shifted, became, most definitely, male in nature. Long black hair, as Ed had the last they all seen him, fell over the wide, though small, masculine shoulders. Even her clothes adjusted in the transformation..Long sleeved off-white shirt, black gloves on both hands, brown vest, brown long pants. Even the metal chain that went from belt loop to front pocket. She opened her eyes, and relaxed Ed's face. "How'd I do?"

The gold eyes were the most startling of all to Harry. The difference in them.

'Nowhere near as...piercing...as the real Ed.' Harry thought, as he tilted his head slightly while looking.

"Well done." Hermione breathed, looking down quickly. Harry could've sworn he could see her growing blush in the dark.

"Right." Tonks said in Ed's voice. It too, had a difference to it, though Harry couldn't figure what it was, beyond the lack of accent. "Ho..I suppose I should being talking like him..vright?"

Harry nodded, and even managed a little smile. He adjusted his hold on the envelopes and stuffed them into a pocket in Ed's jacket. He grabbed ahold of the book in his lap, and stood.

"Wotcher. I'll lead." Tonks-as-Ed said, and walked out in front. Even that movement was off. Harry couldn't place exactly WHAT it was that was off as she lead the way out of the dark alley.

* * *

"I vant dem back." Ed said loud and firm.

"Your Engwish has improved, but I'm afraid I still can't understand your mumbling." The roommate said. "Try speaking a bit louder next time. Who's your friend?"

"NOW." Ed nearly yelled.

"Introductions first. You tell me this something..and just maybe I'll tell you where I have them stashed."

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"You are FAR too serious for your own good, y'know."

"And you are having far too less respect for other people's stuff." Ed retorted. "I vreally should break at least vone arm for dat. It vill be good ting for your rememoring. vhere are dey?"

"Not answering 'til you introduce us. I know how much you like to live by your..what was that phrase? Ah yes. 'Equivalent Exchange'."

Ed took a few steps towards his roommate, head lowered, and scowling. "How 'bout I vreak bones instead..you..!"

"Ed..!" Tonks said.

"Stay out of dis." He growled through gritted teeth.

His roommate smiled, and entered... a fight stance, Ed supposed. One arm held ridiculously high above his head, the other out in front, palm flat and facing him. Then there was the low, wide-legged..well.. squat. Ed smirked when he looked at it, and held back a chuckle.

"And I had such high hopes for you, Eddie. To think a nerdy recluse like you actually got yourself a girlfriend! That's where you were staying these past 2 weeks, right? Her flat? And you didn't think share her existence with the rest of us?? Oh..how you wound me..!"

Ed ignored him, and instead tilted his head slightly. He smirked wider.

"Vat kind of kata is DAT supposed to be?"

"What?!? Bruce Lee's!!"

Ed couldn't hold his chuckle back anymore. He felt both his shoulders shaking from it. He walked forward in a deceptively relaxed way.

"You are vatching vay too much tee vee, Jon. Amazing you can be holding balance long with dat ting." He chuckled, and shook his head. Jon wobbled. He watched his roommate frown. Then he reached out his ungloved left hand for Jon's arm..the unguarded one out front...grabbed it in a firm hold, leaned back ever so slightly, turned, and HEAVED in one smooth motion.

Jon issued a single, "EEP!" when he realised he was in air, and an definite "OOMPH! when he hit the floor with a loud slap of flesh against tile. Jon looked up at Ed from where he had landed, ungracefully, on his back, and pushed his glasses back up his nose with his middle finger. Ed simply shifted his weight back to being deceptively relaxed.

"It's exactly like how he looked." Jon insisted, lower lip sticking out. And he picked himself up off the floor rather gingerly.

'Except the man had way more muscle control than you do..' Ed thought, but smirked anyway.

"Dat so....Come."

"..."

"I'll go vreal eeeeazy on you dis time. Come." Ed quickly shifted his palm slightly for the flexing of the fingers required for the "bring it" gesture. Then went right back to his relaxed stance.

"Ahem...Not in front of the lady." Jon said. "Even I have SOME..hm.. dignity."

Jon blinked and folded his arms across his chest. Now standing straight, he looked down his nose in an exaggerated, dignified manner. Ed finally broke his stance after a few moments. His shoulders shaking with his surpressed laughter, smirk on his face.

"Pity dat. Here I vas looking forvard to making you go trew vall. Dat vould be meeting equivalence, I tink, for such stupidity."

"Could it be? YOU..of all people..laughing?!?" Jon looked at Ed with widened dark eyes, eyebrows approaching his hairline. "Who are YOU, stranger? And what have you done with our dear old Eddie?"

Ed raised an eyebrow, and frowned. The shaking of supressed laughter in his shoulders abruptly stopped.

"I...vhat. Did you do. To my spares?"  
Jon blinked, and cleared his throat. Then he jerked his head in Tonks direction. Ed blinked, sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Tonks, dis is Jon Fuery. Jon..dis is Tonks."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Wotcher."

"See..that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Jon said innocently.

"Shut it." Ed growled. "Now tell me vhere dey are."

* * *

Harry wasn't really sure what he was expecting with four Aurors on the hunt for Ed, but one thing was certain: It was surprisingly easy to get into the hostel. Tonks-as-Ed entered the doors first, followed closely by Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and lastly by Lupin. Harry felt his nerves twitching at every sound of the large crowd surrounding them in what looked like a lobby area; he had a firm grip his wand hidden beneath Ed's folded trenchcoat.

Tonks-as-Ed hesitated, then walked to what looked like a counter, and Harry moved to follow. He felt a hand on his shoulder as soon as he shifted his weight.

"Let her." Lupin whispered. Harry swallowed, and nodded.

Tonks-as-Ed was speaking to a lady in a crisp white shirt with a bowtie, a nametag pinned to one side of her chest. Harry couldn't make out what was being said, but the woman was smiling politely.

He felt Hermione's hand on his elbow, and he looked to her. She looked at him a moment then jerked her chin in a direction down the crowded hall. He turned his head to see what she was indicating for himself. Walking there, with calm self-assurance Harry had only seen in the lions he had seen in zoos, was a tall man with piercing eyes and a wild mass of hair. He was robeless, but Harry recognised the man from moving pictures in the magical newspapers he had read since he began at Hogwarts: Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the Aurors himself.

'Certainly looks much different than he did at the Ministry.' Harry thought, remembering the wrinkled old thing with a pointy hat that had been stuck in the hand sculpture.

"Professor Lupin..?" Harry whispered.

"I see him." Lupin replied. "Don't worry."

'This could work out.' Harry thought, hoping that the man would look to Tonks-as-Ed at the counter. 'Hope he takes the bait.'

Scrimgeour's eyes did wander in that direction, as Harry had hoped. But instead of settling there, they instead seemed to zero in on Harry himself.

"Bloody hell.." Ron whispered, and he scooted back behind Harry, seemingly wanting to put as much distance between himself and the Auror. Harry raised eyebrows at his friend's reaction to the man. He would have asked, but there was no time. The man had approached them, and was now looking down at Harry as though he were a bug to be examined, then crushed.

"Well, Well. The boy-who-lies. Fancy seeing you here. Shouldn't you be busy getting ready for the new school term, Mr. Potter? Not, for instance, wandering about in Muggle inhabited places?"

"Last I checked, that was considered no crime." Lupin said softly.

The man flicked his eyes briefly at the sickly looking former professor.

"For wizards without certain, conditions,...yes. " Scrimgeour said, with particular emphasis on the word 'conditions'. Harry narrowed his eyes at the slight against Lupin. "May I ask what, exactly, your business here is, Lupin?"

"Personal." Harry said. "That goes for all of us."

"REAlly."Scrimgeour said, and narrowed his own eyes as he once again examined Harry. They breifly focused on his scar on his forehead, and Harry felt a slight twinge from it that made him blink. Then, they sort of flowed off him altogether.

Scrimgeour walked past them, heading towards the counter. He felt Hermione squeeze his elbow painfully, but before he could look..

"FUKKEN..... TECHNOGEEK..... GEARHEAD!!!"

It was definitely Ed's voice, cutting through the general din of the crowd around them. And it came from down the hall.

* * *

"VHA DA SHIT DID YOU DO?!?" Ed yelled.

In his mismatched hands, he held the spare of his left leg. It felt much much lighter than it should. He tranferred it to his gloveless left, not believing what his pressure plates on his right were telling him. The foot was a bit..odd..to look at. It was just a simple piece of metal with 3 bends. No toes.

'That would be strange' He thought. 'walking without moving toes..'

"Improvements, bookworm. That was a piece of junk when I started, now..it's state of the art."

Ed narrowed his eyes, and regarded Jon suspiciously.

"Vhy? ..VVhy... do dis..?"

"We're even. That's all." Jon said. "Consider it equivalent exchange. Besides, I'm sure to make a small fortune from what I learned from taking both of them apart and remaking them. Your father must have been a genius."

At the mention of his father, Ed stiffened.

"THAT BASTARD is no fa..." He automatically began, temper flaring against the man who was never there, voice bitter to his own ears, then stopped with his mouth open for a moment. His right fist banged uselessly against the table.

"Hmm..?" Tonks said, softly.

Ed looked at her and blinked. After a few moments, he looked away, and slid his knapsack off his back.

'Glad to be rid of the last of him...' He thought angrily.

"So..give it a go. I want to see if I guessed your measurements right."

"No. Now is not goot time." Ed said, and placed the leg in the bag. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tonks as she leaned against the wall near the closed door. They stood in a small dimly lit room, surrounded by monitors of various shapes and sizes. Wires spilled from each, and spilled to the floor in a messy tangle that converged somewhere under the table Ed was standing in front of. Jon was just on the other side, leaning causually against a particularly big monitor.

"Still wants to give you good massage. As a 'thank you'. You really can use it, too. Those..are SOME knots you get...."

Ed froze as he reached for the arm, and widened his eyes. After a moment, he hefted the spare arm with both hands. It, too, was lighter, but it looked much the same as he remembered it.

"NO. Hell. No. I'm not letting that freak anyvere near me. I know he looks at me dat vay, but know I am not looking at..HEY!!...WHO TOLD YOU TO SAY ANYTING ABOUT MY PROVLEMS ANYVAY???"

Ed scowled and quickly glanced to Tonks again. She had her head down like she was carefully examining her shoes. Jon chuckled, and Ed found he was glad he chose change the subject when he turned back to face him.

"Arm's state of the art, too. Bleeding edge even. Packed mostly with carbon fiber. Not as tough as that thing on your shoulder, but it might give your back muscles rest for once. Hell...you might even..uh...get a bit taller...when you bother to put it on."

"Better NOT be calling me short." Ed growled.

"More like 'stunted'." Jon snorted. "Metal thing like that HAS to weigh a TON. I don't know how you can manage to move at all...much less..hel-lo..."

Ed watched as Jon turned his head and regarded one monitor, with a confused look on his face. Ed blinked.

"vhat iz it?"

"You wouldn't happen to have a brother, would you?" Jon tapped a screen and the figure standing at the counter enlarged, pixelated out, then refocused once again...Ed widened his eyes as he watched his own face as it looked around nearly wide-eyed. Light colored eyes beneath a dark mane of long hair clearly visible in the image. Even his clothes he was currently wearing were the same.

"Y-yeah...but he's.." Ed began, then scowled, and glanced back to Tonks.

She wasn't there.

He heard the door handle jiggle. He dropped the spare arm into his knapsack, backed into his fight stance, leading with his right, and waved Jon to back out of his way with his gloveless left. Jon widened his eyes, and quickly grabbed for a weapon...the desk lamp, holding it in front of him like it was a cricket bat.

'Yeah..like that's gonna work.' Ed thought.'Really really need to show him katas.'

"Stay back.." Ed said firmly.

"Don't worry. If YOU'RE that nervous.." Jon said, and ducked a bit behind the table. "..then I figure there's a damn good reason."

The handle turned slowly, and the door swung smoothly inwards. Ed saw a familiar..and even more sickly-looking, face peek around it.

'Remus.' Ed narrowed his eyes. 'Or is it..?'

The door opened wider, and Ed could see Harry, Hermione, and Ron pressing against 'Remus's' back to see into the room he was in. Ron's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped slightly as he looked at all the monitors in the room.

"Blimey..just like portraits..."

'That HAS to be Ron.' Ed thought. 'But the others..?'

Though the light was dim, he saw Hermione blush when she looked at him.

"Relax, it's us." Harry said.

"Prove it." Ed said.

"I know better than to call you 'short'." Harry replied. Ed felt a vein bulge in his temple at the mention of the word, and he scowled slightly as the pounding of his head increased slightly in response. He narrowed his eyes at 'Remus'.

'Remus' held both his hands up in clear view. "I don't know what I can say to prove it's me, honestly. That word for Buckbeak again?" 'Remus' said.

Ed cautiously lowered his arms.

"Friends of yours, bookworm...?" Jon asked. Ed glanced to him. He saw that Jon had a deathgrip on the desklamp, but both of his hands were clearly shaking. Ed raised an eyebrow, and cleared his throat.

"Yeah. Yeah dey are." Ed said cautiously. It felt like just acknowledging the words... Felt like he betraying someone...

'Too soon.' Ed thought,'Can't..wait..that door was closed when that 'Tonks' vanished. I know it was.' The idea burned in his mind that she had not left. Not yet anyway.

"Jon.." Ed said in a low voice. "Do you have camera for dis room?"

"uh...And why, exactly, would I ever want to watch myself?" Jon said.

'You being a perverted dweeb is reason enough.' Ed thought with a scowl.

"...Do you or not?" Ed said.

"Ok..yes. but.." Jon said.

"Pull it up. Full spectrum, begin cycle avound 1600 mu. You four..come in, close dat door. Be quick." Ed glanced at all the shadowed corners in the darkened room.

'Chameleon chimera?' Ed thought. 'Or is it..? ... wouldn't I feel him long before he got this close if it was...'

"Vhatever it is, it has to still be here..." Ed muttered, and turned to the screen of the large monitor that Jon was currently touching with two index fingers. The thing Jon called a 'GOOEY' came to life under his fingertips...looking much like complex, yet unfinished array to Ed, as it slowly spun in the assigned cycle hovering above the image of everyone standing in the room. "Took my advize, I zee." Ed said as he glanced to the corners again.

'Yeah...Well, I DO like the Gui much better this way...fantastic for precise... What..?"

'POP!'

Ed blinked at the telltale, but barely heard, sound. Seeing nothing in the half-gloom. He met Harry's eyes, then turned back to the screen, knowing what happened. 'Like with the twins...' He thought.

"I-I saw it for maybe half a half second..but..it's just..gone." Jon stammered.

Ed nodded a slight nod. "Continue vith cycle. I vant to be sure ve are clear first. Den, in exchange, I'll introduce everyvone here. Equivalence?"

Jon swallowed.

"Deal, bookworm. Deal."


	19. Hostel ErrandsMuggle side, p4

A/N:Ed kept doing Ed things...Annnnd I just have to move this story along....Dopey ending for the arc, but I hope it's a good read...

* * *

Harry looked about the small room they were in.

It was little more than a broom closet in size. The only light he could see by was from the soft blue light of the ungodly amount of what he supposed were computer monitors that occupied nearly all the walls and the shallow shelf right in front of him. They were even hanging down at odd spots from the ceiling. Every conceivable size of monitor was there..from wallet sized, to a particularly large one that nearly took up a wall. It was this that Ed and his friend were looking at.

Ed was standing casually in front of what looked like a kind of folding card table; he knew he had once seen one like it. His Aunt Petunia had him dig the Dursley's own card table out from the heaps of accumulated things in her garage, just for the celebration of a birthday party for his fat cousin, Dudley. It was metallic by the gleam of the dim light, and certainly not very big.

"Ok..looks like it's just us, and your four friends in here, Eddie." The friend said, and then turned around. The first thing Harry noticed about his was the pair of too thick glasses he wore, ones which made his dark eyes appear far too large for his rather thin, and pale, face. Said eyes glanced at Harry, and he supposed the others, and then to the rest of the room behind them. Then, it scrunched in confusion. "What happened to the lovely Tonks?"

Ed shrugged. "Guess she snuck out vhen you found my 'brodder' on da screen?"

"I thought I was doing a better job than you at the very least, bookworm. I swear! Do I smell funny or something?" Ed's friend frowned.

Ed snorted, and Harry distinctly heard a undercurrent in his voice that sounded much like, "Geer freak".

"So. Introductions are in order, I believe?"

After introductions, Harry learned that this Jon was surprisingly friendly and talented for a Muggle. He was obviously an adult, but Harry could only guess him to be about the old age of 20 or so. He even proudly showed them all his latest creation, though it was little more than a mess of wires attached to a greenish card thing, and had bits looked suspiciously like tiny pieces of metal and screws.

"Whats it for?" Ron asked, wide eyed with wonder, as Jon set it aside onto the shallow shelf.

"Uh..It's better for me if I don't tell you that."

"Huh?" Ron said.

"He means he's going to be using it for illegal tings. Most likely very soon." Ed said with a smirk, as he stuffed his trenchcoat inside his green knapsack. He then picked it up and slung it to his back.

Jon stuck his tongue out at Ed. "Just blurt it out, you...."

"I say noting." Ed said and waved both hands up in mock-surrender. Harry noticed he was missing a dark glove.

"What sort of..illegal things.." Harry asked, honestly having no idea, though the mere mention of it brought out his mischevious side. He saw Hermione frown slightly at the thought of the word "illegal".

"Can you four keep a secret?" Jon said, and looked around the room as if there were more people listening than he was comfortable with.

Harry nodded. He glanced at Ron, and then to Hermione. They too nodded, however slightly. He saw that Lupin backed off a bit, as if unsure if he really wanted to know, then thought better. He, too, nodded, though it was clearly with great reluctance.

"The fun kind, of course. No one gets hurt if its done right. Redirected traffic..inconvenient road closures...bomb scares that just happen to empty out entire buildings for days on end..." Jon said as he ticked off the items on his fingers one by one.

"Get to point...Iz for illegal dances." Ed said, and he looked over some of the monitors thoughtfully. Ron backed up to the cheap card table as Ed eased past him, and getting whacked a bit with the knapsack for his trouble.

"They're called Rave parties, you recluse! You's know that if you actually went sometime." Jon said loudly over his shoulder in Ed's general direction. Then turned back to Harry. "It's how I met this bookworm in the first place. About 6 months ago..come to think...didn't even speak a word of English then and he just..."

"How do you get that "GooOOooey" ting to vwork?" Ed interrupted as he poked a finger experimentally at a monitor with his ungloved hand.

Jon rolled his eyes and muttered, "bloody luddite idiot" under his breath as he turned away from Harry.

"Depends on what you want to do..?" Jon said, and fluttered his eyelids at Ed.

"Shut it and just be telling me." Ed retorted.

"Even IF I tell you ..You won't figure it out and..." Jon said in a bored voice. "No. You'll end up breaking it. "

"So? It being my fault you can't be making good stuff?"

"Let me remind you that YOU. MANAGE. To break your own fake. METAL! ME-TAL!! arm at least once a month, and THAT'S definitely bleeding edge when it comes to toughness..No. Let me. At least I'll know what I'm doing."

Harry watched Ed scowl and fold his arms across his chest. "It didn't look dat hard to me. Spill it."

"It didn't look hard because I'm just THAT good. Now move it." Jon said with a tilt to his head.

"I vant to be checking de other cameras like you did dis vone. Just tell.." Ed said in a flat tone.

"I can work ALL the cameras at one time. You can barely operate one, remember?"

"How many?" Ron asked. "Uh..how many cameras do you have?"

Ed turned away from the monitor with a frown, and eyed Ron as if he would really regret asking that question.

"Uh..lost count actually. It's well over 500..." Jon said, and he pulled out a tiny key pad from behind a monitor on the shallow shelf, and plugged it into one of the tiniest of monitors. He then touched the screen a few times, and merrily typed away with both hands. All the monitors had a series of what looked like numbers scroll down their screens over the images.

"Don't ask him VHERE most of dem are." Ed said in a loud whisper with rolled eyes.

"Pleeease..that's common knowledge. And they make SUCH a good cover for my other activities." Jon said proudly. "Ha..there we go..Now watch the master work."

The monitors flickered..Harry though about twice...then suddenly, they all were plunged into the darkness. Harry couldn't tell the difference if his eyes were open or closed.

"Vell done, gearhead." Ed said sarcastically.

"It bloody well wasn't me!!" Jon hissed. "I didn't touch the grid this time, I swear!!"

Harry heard someone take a sharp intake of breath.

"Get down!" Ed hissed.

"Wha..?"

POP!POP!POP!

Harry felt rough hands pushing him to the ground from behind him, and solid, heavy weight pinned him there.

"Obliviate!"

There was a flash light in which Harry could make out three people with wands pointed towards where Ed, Jon, and Ron had been standing moments before. Then there was the distinct sound that Harry couldn't place. A flash of blue light and blue lightning. Then the cheap card table's legs, one of which had been gouging painfully into his shoulder, were suddenly gone. A loud THUNK! against the far wall, like something metal had struck it. Followed closely by a light cluttering sound as something hit the tile floor behind him.

Harry could feel Herione's paniced breaths in his hair.

' She's right next to me, then.' He thought.

He heard a "Eeep!" and a crash of something against the door, and he felt even more weight on him, so much so he found he could hardly breathe.

POP!

"Shit....!" Harry heard Ed say, now in a completely different area of the room, and another louder BANG!!

"What just.." Ron's voice..whimpering..

The monitors flickered back on, and Harry blinked at the now too bright seeming light in the room. He as Ron was on the floor in front of him, his face looking shocked and very much afraid. Jon was collapsed next to him, eyes half-lidded and his face looking like he was in a state of bliss, Ed's bag just behind him.

"I'm gonna kill dem..." Ed said like a mantra, voice low and angry. "I'm gonna kill dem...Dey have no right..." Then he switched to his odd language.

BANG! CRASH!

Harry looked as Ed removed his right arm from the wall..or rather a new HOLE in the wall that his fist had just finished making, noticing it went right through a monitor. Ed turned and paced back and forth in that corner with his hands clenched tight close to his chest.

"Harry..? You ok?" Hermione asked, trying to get up from behind him. He looked over his shoulder, and noticed for the first time just how pale, and sallow Lupin's face looked as he too, tried to get up.

"Uh..yeah...Professor?"

"I'm fine, Harry. Just wasn't expecting an extra pair of legs on me."

"What..?" Harry said, and turned as far as he was able, which wasn't far. He didn't want to end up crushing Hermione.

CRASH!

Ed's continued muttering loudly in his language. Harry held fast to the idea that his friend was not in the slightest way pleased.

* * *

To say Ed was furious would be an understatement, as his temper had a notorious short fuse to begin with, and it was even less so with a splitting headache. He struggled to get it back under control as he paced in that corner, punching the walls every now and then and leaving holes behind. It was all he could do..there were no more there to fight with, or beat bloody.

" FUCK. Just FUCK!! Shit. What Shit...FUCKERS!!" What he said didn't matter, and he didn't care if it didn't make sense. He just had to let his lips move. It was some time before he stopped seeing red in his vision. It was then he realised he was speaking in Amestrian. And his right glove was in tatters, letting the gleaming metal shine in the soft blue glow of the monitors. He took a deep calming breath, and looked at his handiwork.

'One stuck to the wall. Still out.' Ed thought as he looked at the transmutated card table. Then he slid his eyes to the door.'That one looks like he landed on his head.' Ed pulled off the remains of his glove. He noticed that Harry, Lupin, and Herimone appeared to be pinned under the man's legs, and Ron was having little success in moving him on his own. Ed shook his head, and went over to the tangled mess that were his friends.

Under his left foot something crunched. He stopped, and looked down. A wand--now broken. Thoroughly disgusted, he kicked it aside hard enough that it bounced against the wall.

The next moment found him helping Ron lift the unconscious wizard's legs, and Harry, Lupin, and Hermione all crawled out from beneath. He nodded to Remus, and jerked his chin, trading off his position with the wizard on the door in favor of Jon, who was still on the floor next to his knapsack. Once there, he carefully rolled Jon to his back, and checked his body for bleeding visually; he found none. He then felt for a pulse on his neck with his left hand. It was strong and steady.

'That half-lidded look on his face...' Ed thought...and swallowed. He felt Jon's forehead, then his cheeks.

"Vhat did dey do..." Ed said softly, not expecting an answer really. Just thinking back to the feel of that particular moment. What array was that..that did this..? He chewed on his left forefinger, and narrowed his eyes. It was there...he knew...just out of reach...

"It's just an obliviate." Hermione said softly from his side. He startled slightly at her presence; the music of alchemy faded back into his head. "He'll..be fine. Really." She said. He looked at her hard, and she flinched back.

"'He'll be fine?'" Ed stated flatly. "Tell me. Vhat is dis 'obliviate' that you are so sure is noting for vorrying over."

"Its a memory charm. It modifies or erases memories." Remus said, puffing slightly from pulling the wizard from the door to the middle of the room with some help from Ron at the unconsious man's feet. Ed blinked at that information, then frowned.

"'Just an 'obliviate''" Ed said. "Mess vith people's heads and you tink it's noting?" Ed shook his head and closed Jon's eyes with his living fingers. That blissful look made him look like he was simply sleeping. Or dead. Ed swallowed.

Seeing nothing more he could do for Jon, Ed stood and moved to the unconscious wizard. He tilted his head and examined the man with his eyes.

"He landed bad. Probably vill vake vith headache. Bad vone. He vill be out for vhile."

"This is Proudfoot. He's an Auror." Remus said.

"You say dat like I should be caring. Vhat is Auror?" Ed said.

"Dark Wizard hunters. They're best of the best." Harry said, as he looked over the wizard now stuck to the wall thanks to the card table. He knocked on it, and it rang out metallicly.

"I am no vvizard. And neither is Jon. Vhat is meant by 'Dark'?"

"Very bad Wizards. Like Voldemort." Harry said it with such venom in his voice, that Ed blinked.

"Vhat do dey do dat makes dem 'very bad'?"

"Kill people. Voldemort's the one that killed my parents." Again with the slight shaking at the mention of the name.

'What is it with these people?' Ed thought, as he looked at each of them. The only one not shaking or wincing was Harry. Oh, and Remus.

Ed looked at Harry. "I..don't..um..Soldiers in vwar...dey sometimes kill people too. VWould dey be considered dis..Dark nonzense?"

"Only if they are a wizard and practice something called the Dark Arts. The killing curse is just one of them." Remus said. "That's some transfiguration you did with that table..you certain you're not a wizard?"

Ed snorted. "I am not knowing vhat dis 'transfigu..hatever' is, but dat...ah..eazier if I show you. I go slow on dis vone."

Ed walked to the transmuted table embedded in the wall and stood by Harry. The wizard wrapped within it moaned. Ed met Harry's eyes and motioned with his left hand for Harry to move back. Then, he closed his eyes and pictured the array he needed...it was slow to come through the pounding in his head. It shined, and he was satisfied it was balanced. He opened his eyes, and clapped his mismatched hands firmly together, distinctive sound ringing in the room. The warming energy flowing throughout him and circulating down both arms. He then placed his hands on the transmutated table, and let the equation run its course. Blue light flashed and blue lightening arched..the wind from the hidden circle below him barely moved his black dyed hair this time. He grabbed ahold of the edges of the table as it reformed itself, and took steps back as the legs followed suit.

The wizard slid limply down the wall like a ragdoll. Ed turned away and set the table down on its legs. He then squatted and pointed to one of them.

"Zee here? Deze marks?" Ed said, hating having to point out the flaws in any of his work. "Iz obvious iz from equations."

Ed rubbed at the bandage at his neck with his left hand as it throbbed with his head. He looked to Remus as he looked close at the table leg. He also saw Harry looking close at another, Hermione and Ron looking closely as well on the other side. They way they all were looking at the thing...it was just too disturbing.

'Like it's something completely new and foreign to them. What the shit? Don't they deal with this stuff everyday?' Ed thought as he pictured the various things he saw in the Black house for the past 2 weeks. 'Has no one explained a thing to them?'

He sighed and he looked back at the wizard slumped against the wall, and saw that the man was now opening his eyes. Ed turned and stood over the man, glaring at him with both arms folded across his chest. The wizard's eyes narrowed. Ed could see that the man considered him nothing to be worried over.

"I have questions for you." Ed said as he willed his rising anger back.

'Now was not the time to indulge.' Ed thought through the pounding ache.

"I am in no good mood." Ed said "I have been shot at, and you are de vone vho hit a good friend of mine vith your veapon. This I do not forgive. Let me make dis fact very clear."

Ed clapped his hands together and touched his right arm with his left, extending the forearm plate into his signature blade in a flash of blue light, stopping the transmutation at about a foot long. He immediately pressed the sharp side to the wizard's throat, where it just grazed the skin slightly.

A tiny line of blood dripped, and the wizard's eyes widened, however slightly.

"*I* do not bother vith PLAY TINGS like STICKS. Ansver my questions."

* * *

"Ed..! Stop!"

"What do you think you're..!"

"Blimey!!"

Harry blinked then swallowed at the sight. Ed had a sword..it looked like a sword..at the Auror's throat. The way he was standing...

'It's like he knows how to use it. Like he's used it before to...' Harry thought, not really wanting to think it through.

"Ed...Put the..um..knife down." Harry said slowly in what he hoped was a calming voice. He noticed that Lupin was circling behind Ed, and taking out his wand from his pocket. Ed's back stiffened, and he brought his left hand close to the ground, fingers splayed. Harry saw he didn't turn away from the Auror beneath his sword blade.

"Remus..dat better not be for me..." Ed said in a low and steady voice.

"I can't let you do that, Ed. That's an Auror..." Remus said. "They're our only protection..."

"HE SHOT JON!!" Ed yelled and he turned his head away a moment. Then went right back to the Auror on the wall. The Auror's eyes bulged with panic when Harry supposed he saw Ed's eyes. He could only guess at how piecing they were now that Ed was as angry as he sounded to him.

'Probably thinks they see directly into his soul with a glance.' Harry thought. 'Much less the attention he's getting from them right now.'

"Oh..that's vright..He's just a Muggle. Ve're toys to be played vith to you...Vright? Ve see tings you don't vant us to see, and you screw vith our heads to make sure ve forget. Niiice. How many have long term head provlems from vhat you like to do vith dose sticks of yours? Huh?"

"Stop it...please." Hermione said. "Ed...that's not it.."

"Ed..easy. Back away from him...." Lupin said, wand pointed firmly at Ed. His wand tip glowing slightly as the spell gathered energy.

"Professor.." Harry began.

Ed turned his head slightly, and flicked his gold eyes to Lupin. Harry could see his face was in a scowl.

"If you are going to be shooting me...shoot."

Several things happened at once. First, Hermione screamed. Or was it Ron? Harry couldn't tell.

Then, Harry was sure Lupin shot at Ed. Harry distinctly remembered seeing Ed touching the ground with his left hand as the wand released the jinx. Blue light and lightning flashed all over and largely blinded Harry, and the light from the jinx just added to the blinding whiteness that he furiously blinked away from his eyes.

Next he saw was what looked like a low wall that nearly reached up the card table in height, and was maybe a meter in length. There was a crater around it, like a large circle, and it stood between where he had seen Ed and Lupin. Harry blinked some more, and saw an small arch of blue lightning spark from it. The Auror behind it peeked his head over it and gave the room a good looking around, eyes wide with fright and face scrunched in confusion.  
Was that Ed he heard..speaking? Low and angrily, in that language of his..?

Harry tried to find the source, then realised it wasn't from behind the low wall at all. It was, in fact, coming slightly above him. Harry looked up. Ed floated in midair, sword with him in his right. Harry glanced over at Lupin, and saw his wand was pointed directly at Ed.

As he watched, Ed tried to lunge at Lupin. As he had nothing to push against, he just grazed the card table with the blade instead with a sickening scraping noise and a few sparks. It was then that Harry realised that the blade was actually attached to Ed's right arm.

'The false one..of course!' Harry thought as he looked at it.

"Put me down." Ed growled. "NOW!"

"Not until you're much, much calmer, I think."

"Have it your vay den." Ed said. And with a snarl, clapped his mismatched hands together with that distinctive sound.

Pop! Pop! "Stupefy!"

Harry startled as the charm hit Ed squarely in the chest in a blast of red energy. He saw Ed's head jerk back from the impact, then his body went entirely limp. The right arm and left leg dangled lower than the other limbs as he turned over, still floating in the air. He watched as he was gently lowered to the cardtable. Harry looked over to Lupin, and to the two Aurors now standing at either side of him. They were definitely Aurors. One was Scrimgeour, with a tany mane with streaks of gray throughout and green-yellow eyes, the other...dark skin...flowing robes that were oddly Mugglelike, and yet not...

"Kingsley?" Harry whispered...not sure if it was a good idea to say it aloud or not. Then he remembered he had been given a tour of the Ministry by Mr. Weasley, and had 'met' the Auror there.

"Was that really necessary?" Lupin asked.

"Kid took out 2 of my Aurors. I'm in no mood to take any chances." Scrimgeour said grimly, and walked to the cardtable. He glanced at Harry and gave him a frown. Then, to Harry's surpirse, completely ignored his presence. He turned instead to Ed, and he pushed Ed's draping black hair back from his face.

"Hrm...Looks like him alright." Scrimgeour muttered.

He then grabbed Ed's chin, and tilted it back, exposing the bandage taped to the front of his neck. He then took out his wand and gave it a little flick. The bandage floated off to the side, and Ed's burn was exposed in the dim blue light of the monitors. Scrimgeour's upper lip pulled back in disgust once he could fully see it. Harry himself only saw a dark mark there..something like a shadow. Then he smelled something foul all of the sudden. Like rotten meat. He covered his mouth and nose with both hands.

"Ugh..." He heard from Hermione. He looked up and saw she was backing away from the table, with both her hands covering her nose and mouth. Ron stood right behind her.

"There's no faking that thing. It's definitely him." Scrimgeour stated. "Poor Muggle."

"What are you going to do to him." Harry said with frown, trying desperately not to inhale the stench of the burn.

"Huh. That's none of your concern, Potter." Scrimgeour said, and flicked his wand again. The bandage taped itself neatly back into place. "He's Ministry business now. Savage..if you would?"

"Uh..sir? I'm not so sure he's a Muggle. He conjured this wall..I saw him do it myself. Then there's.."

Scrimgeour scowled and looked at the Auror against the wall. Then, he looked down at the low wall for himself and examined it visually as though it were something to scrape off the bottom of his shoe. He took his wand firmly in his hand and pointed it.

"Finite Incantatem"

Harry raised his eyebrows. The low wall was still there.

"Fin-i-te. In-cant-ate-m!"

The low wall was still a low wall. Scrimgeour snorted in disgust.

"Further proof." He stated. "Savage..he's in your charge now."

"With respect, sir, I..don't think I'm r-really up to f-facing him again." Savage said as he rubbed his throat. Harry winced in sympathy.

"Does it really matter WHO takes charge of him?" Lupin asked. "He and I..."

"Lupin. As a wizard in your...condition..I can imagine just how well you will take charge of a runt like ..."

"...NOT a runt..." Ed mumbled, and Harry saw Scrimgeour give him a quick look over his shoulder. Ed was still out, though.

"If I may make a suggestion..." Kingsley said, "I believe Tonks is still unassigned to any special duties, perhaps this will fulfill...?"

Scrimgeour narrowed his eyes...

"Yes..I saw that she took his form in a good effort to track him down...I have to admit that I was surprised by her choice in hair color, but now that I see him.....yes. Glad I thought of it. TONKS! Front and center."

POP!

Harry saw Tonks as she literally fell off the low wall from where she had apporated in on.

"Omph! Who the bloody hell put that here?" Tonks said, and she gingerly picked herself up off the floor. She was back into her usual form, with dark eyes, and bright pink, short spikey hair. She glanced to Lupin and gave him a small smile. Then she stood up straight and faced the scowling Scrimgeour "Wotcher. You called, sir?"

"We're in Muggle territory. Next time, use the door." Scrimgeour drawled."The young man on this table is now your assignment. Watch him carefully, and report what you can back to me. Is that clear?"

"Isn't this the Muggle who.." Tonks began, then pointed to Scrimgeour himself, and swallowed.

Scrimgeour cleared his throat. "No obliviation just yet. He has a strange talent that needs to be examined thoroughly. Make sure he gets treatment for that burn; it looks to be going nasty."

"Yes sir." Tonks said.

Harry blinked.

"Potter." Scrimgeour said, and nodded at him.

POP! POP! POP!

Harry looked down at Ed, and then to Tonks, Lupin, Hermione, and finally, Ron. All that were left in the room. Well, aside from the unconscious Muggle Jon and Auror Proudfoot on the floor. He just couldn't believe his luck. Scrimgeour..the notorious Scrimgeour...actually letting a Muggle go who..Harry blinked again. Thinking of what Ed had done..was he really a Muggle? 2 Aurors....

"He's going to have kittens." Ron whined, and shook his head. "When he wakes up. I just know it..."


	20. Transition and revelation

A/N:Thanks for the reviews..YES!..He's back in the house...!! Now I have to find a good name for this here chapter.....hmmmm.

There shouldn't be any more need for anymore OC of mine. I know how I hate them, so I use them sparingly. REALLY. One can only hope:D

* * *

Ed awoke with a start, head pounding in protest at his sudden movement, burn at his neck screeching in duet, and yet some deeply ingrained instinct told him to move, to fight back. He tried to swung his arms and legs, connected with nothing..in fact, they didn't seem to respond at all..He blinked. 'Everything's so..blurry.' He thought.

"So stupid!! The others..!" He said. "Are they..?"

Someone said something, but he couldn't understand it...He blinked, and slowly his vision cleared. He slowed his movements. The tone was concerned.

He looked in their direction, trying to focus on the words..the syllables were soft. The rhythem odd. Disjointed. "Ed..." he could understand that. His name was easy enough. "Ed [something some} zxesy...{something something}" Ed turned his head away, frustrated. The speaker just wasn't making sense. There were people in trouble. They could be hurt. It was his fault it happened...He knew it...

"Are they alright..?" Ed said. "Where..? Have to help..!"

"Ed...{something} English...!"

Ed blinked. English...? He blinked some more. His vision was clearing. He saw round glasses and a shock of black hair to his right below him. Lightning shaped scar on the forehead. A girl with bushy brown hair stood a bit to the side. Red haired boy was furthest away, and backing further into the corner.

'English..I'm in England.' He thought.'Why haven't I hit anything..?' He looked around again...it just didn't make any more sense when everything drifted upside down. He felt the warming energy from the interrupted array flowing throughout him, his mismatched hands tingled with the energy.

"Har-ry." He said, recognising the one with round glasses. "Iz everyvone...? Doze people..."

"Everyone's fine, Ed." Harry said with a smile. "Easy now."

Ed blinked..his hair was dark and hanging down in his face..He felt..weightless. He looked around the room. Lots of monitors hanging all over. Two bodies on the floor far below him. One of them, by Hermione's feet, looked familiar. Black hair, black tshirt, black pants. Thick glasses. His mind provided the name..:Jon. The other body...He blinked. Who was that again..?

"He's really out of it." Hermione said." You just did 'enervate' right?"

"Yep. Right after the entanglement." Tonks voice. Ed blinked. That was behind him. He looked over his shoulder, and glimpsed two people with wands in their hands, one of which was pointed at him.

'That's why..' Ed thought, realising he was feeling the hum of an active array deep in his chest. He knew the man. He took a deep, angry breath.

"Remus." Ed said between clenched teeth.

"Edward. How you feeling..?"

Ed scowled at the sickly looking man. Ed arched his back, trying break free from what had him entangled. It felt like ropes on his flesh hand..but they weren't..the structure was..just wrong.

'That array was for air...maybe I can still use it...' Ed thought.

He let the circuit of energy flow. Blue bolts arched down his arms to his hands. He gritted his teeth as he again drifted upside down; His stomach protested, just a little. 'Can't feel...Hands..? Tied against me or together..?' Ed thought.

"Calm down...Ed..stop..whatever you're doing.." Remus said in a calm tone.

"Ed..no.." Hermione said. "Stop it.."

"Told you he'd have kittens..." Ron whined far in the corner.

"You're only making this worse...calm down." Remus said in the same..infuriating..calm tone.

Ed's black-dyed hair was again in his face, and it was then that the air array began to take effect...a small wind rose and blew it to the side. The air circulating about him. 'Hands at my sides then..' Ed thought as he arched his back again, and wriggled violently. 'Need heat..burn through bonds..'

"Harry..stay back." Remus said.

Ed felt a hand on his shoulder, and he tried to jerk his shoulder away.

"Ed..easy. You're with fri.."

"Fukk off. Friends don't do DIS." Ed spat. He nudged the wind and it picked up its pace. He could see that he was, in fact..making a rather impressive dust devil about himself rather than the blast he had originally intended the array for. An interior dustdevil. 'Dammit..it's not going to..can't focus it this way..'

"Right...you're right. Listen to me. You didn't give us much of a choice...your arm..you did something to it." Harry said. "If you just change it back.. well.. I'm sure Professor Lupin will be happy to put you down and untie you."

Ed narrowed his eyes, then glanced down at his right metal arm. There it was: the extended forearm plate, transmutated into his signature blade. Currently, it was wrapped in layers and layers of what looked like clothes..and the wrapping continued around his middle and down his legs, pinning his arms to his sides. He looked first to Harry, then over to Remus and glared.

"Fine." Ed said carefully. "Need armz free to do zat."

"My apologies for treating you like this, Edward. I simply didn't wish anyone to get stuck with something so sharp and pointy." Remus said with a smile, which only made Ed's anger rise.

"Zat never happenz..unless I am meaning it to." Ed replied in a low voice, complete with a scowl.

"Ed." Hermione said. He glanced to her as she approached and placed her hand on his right shoulder port. Her bushy brown hair getting blown wildly about in his mini wanna-be tornado in the process. "Lupin..uh..we...didn't want anyone hurt. Please understand.."

With both Harry's and Heriome hands on his shoulders, his gentle weightless tumbling drifting in the air ceased. He watched Remus flick the wand and he slowly felt himself lower to the ground. Heriome and Harry took a step back. Another flick, and the bindings unbound themselves and, in fact, went back into Remus' wand.

Ed stood up. He rubbed his left wrist with his metal hand, and flexed his living fingers. While he was doing that, he nudged the wind down, then dispersed the energy of the air array. Wind gone, he then focused inwards and pictured the array he needed for the blade. It was such an ingrained habit, it didn't take long at all. Blue light of the reaction flashed, and the blade shrunk back to being just the forearm plate.

"Dose people...de ones dat shot me and Jon.." Ed said calmly, and he looked at Tonks a moment. "..tell me vhere dey vent. I am owing them someting..."

Ed squeezed his left hand into a fist, and his knuckles popped loudly.

"Ed..those people are law enforcement. Y'know..like police officers.."Hermione said.

"So vhat." Ed said calmly. "vhere did dey go?"

"Let it go Ed." Harry said "If you go and do what I think you have in mind, I really don't think you'll end up with just a boring class for a month."

"Oh..believe me vhen I say I have much much more in mind for dem than dat." Ed said. "I did not break any laws to my knowledge and dey go and shoot me. Vhich reminds me..."

Ed looked at Remus and walked in a deceptively relaxed stance towards him. He even managed a friendly smile. Remus raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, and offered a smile in return. Suspecting absolutely nothing more than maybe a friendly handshake, Ed supposed. His right metal fist landed solidly against the man's jaw with a sickening crack.

Remus actually caught himself before he could hit the ground, and held his jaw gingerly with both his hands, wand still in one of them. He even spit out a bloody tooth.

'Tougher than he looks.' Ed thought 'If he were completely human, he'd be out cold...'

Tonks went over to Remus immediately and waved her wand at his jaw. Unconcerned, Ed turned away and walked to squat next to Jon. He noticed with mild amusement that Ron scrambled away from him rather quickly, eyes wide with fear.

"In answer to your question, Remus. I feel much much better." Ed said, idlely looking his metal knuckles over for blood. "Now."

He then felt Jon's pulse again with his left. He found it strong and steady.

* * *

Harry looked over at Ed on the long bus ride back to 12 Gimmauld Place. He certainly no longer looked as frightening as he had in that room with the monitors. Ed's head was leaned against a window near the back. His black hair covering his eyes, but as slack as the rest of him appeared, Harry supposed Ed was sound asleep. Tonks sat near him, in the seat across the way, just watching.

He looked to Heriome and Ron, both sitting near his own seat. Hermione was watching the dark outside the windows. Ron just looked bored out of his mind.

"So." Harry said, and looked at Ron. "Whacha figure?"

"'bout what?" Ron said.

Harry glanced back at the sleeping Ed.

"He's bloody scary. That's what." Ron said. "Even without that wandless stuff he does. That punch he gave Lupin--I had a clear view, and I couldn't tell it was coming...what jinx does that?"  
"Then there's that blade..."

"Yeah..like he's used it before." Ron said with a shiver. "And often."

"Think he's from..I dunno..Durmstrang..or something? I mean he sounds just like.. "

"Definitely not. He says he's a Muggle. Whats more, I believe him." Hermione said. "..um..I admit it doesn't make sense. Think about it: He was so upset over the 'obliviate' thing and y'know, its really got me thinking now. It's like with the House Elves... "

"Oh don't start with spew again.." Ron said, and rolled his eyes.

"It's S.P.E.W!! I'm just saying that there's things in the wizarding..."

"Shh..talk later..not here.." Lupin said softly, barely moving his jaw. Harry glanced at him and noticed what was sure to be a huge and ugly bruise in a few hours. Harry didn't know much about werewolves, but he did know that they tended to heal fast.

Harry sighed, folded his arms, and hooked the back his neck on the seat.

'Maybe Ed has the right idea...'

Harry wasn't sure if he dozed off or not, but next thing he knew Lupin was shaking his shoulder. They all filed off the bus..Ed and Tonks taking the very end. Harry saw that Ed's head was hung so low, and he was dragging his feet so much, that he appeared to be still very much asleep.

'Maybe its the knapsack?' Harry thought, remembering well just how heavy his own trunk got when packing for Hogwarts.

Then he got an idea..

"Hey Ed." Harry said.

"Huh?"

"I think I know a way to find out if you're a Muggle or not."

"Shut it." Ed said irritably. "I have no need to prove vhat I am to you or anybody else."

"Just..um.."

Harry wondered briefly how 'Muggle deterrents' on the Black House worked. Were they the usual 'appointment' ones, or were there more nasty ones?

"Just follow us.."

Ed snorted.

"Like I have choice." Ed said. "I don't know vhere stoopid place is. Dey blindfolded me."

"Like we're going to do now." Tonks said brightly.

"Can't we hold up on that? It IS one way to be sure." Harry said, pleading.

"With the security measures in place, it would be hardly fair. He hasn't even gotten cleared by Dumbledore." Lupin said. "Yet."

"Yet?" Harry asked.

Lupin rubbed at his jaw.

"It's..private." Lupin said. "I won't go into it."

"Too tired to argue. Can ve get to dis damned place alvready?" Ed whined. Harry blinked. Ed, whining?

"Right." Tonks said. "Put this on."

Ed yawned hugely and put the blindfold on without complaint. Then, he rubbed at the bandage at his neck with his left, living hand.

"Tsst." Ed said "Dis' stoOopid."

'Well. No complaint other than that.' Harry thought.

Tonks put Ed's left hand on her shoulder, and lead him the rest of the way, across the street, up the steps, and finally through the dark time-ravaged door attacked to an old house that seemed to inflate between numbers 11 and 13.

* * *

The headache had dulled on the bus ride over to a kind of state that wasn't quite pain, nor was it completely comfortable. The burn on his neck was another matter. He mentally pushed that small agony back to a tolerable level easily enough through long practice. Ed was surprised at himself when he found actually didn't mind the motherly Mrs. Weasley fussing over him after he removed his blindfold.

"Oh Edward my dear..! No wonder they lost track of you!!" Mrs Weasley said. "What a difference that hair color makes...Well!..you look peakish. Come on."

"uh.." Was all he managed before he was nearly bodily dragged to the kitchen table. Ed looked to Harry, Ron, and Heriome for some semblance of help, but found they were mutely following along instead. As if they knew better than to fight the woman. So, thus defeated, he sat at the wooden table in mostly a daze while Mrs. Weasley dished up snacks for all.

He didn't even notice Sirius removing the bandage at the front of his neck, and quickly applying a thick layer the strange cream. That is, until said cream actually came in contact with the burn.

"Tssst..!" Ed said and flinched away.

"Come now..you've been all day without a treatment." Sirius said. "It wouldn't be nearly this bad if you'd just..."

Ed snorted, and blinked a slow blink. Not really wanting to hear what the man had to say.

"Varn me first." Ed said. "Den I vill not be flinching."

"Didn't you see me..? I was right here the whole time." Sirius said.

Ed shrugged, and blinked another slow blink. He held back a yawn by refusing to let is jaw open.

"Ah..that explains it." Sirius said with a bark of a laugh. "Exhausted yourself, did you?"

"Don't know.. " Ed muttered, and bit back another yawn. "..vhat you are talking about."

Sirius chuckled and finished with the cream application. True to his word, Ed did not flinch, even when he was aware of the wand pointing straight at his so very vulerable neck. Soon after, Mrs. Weasley emerged from the kitchen with a tray laden with sandwiches balanced precariously on her wand. Ed found didn't have the energy to blink at the sight, or even to reach out for a sandwich for himself. He was aware of many hands reaching hungrily for the tray, seemingly all at once.

Ed saw Sirius flick his wand and a sandwich neatly dropped on the small plate right in front of him.

Ed blinked another slow blink and bit back another yawn. His head nearly hit the table then; nearly, because instead of the tabletop, his head landed, spot on, upon the sandwich that happened to slide right before him at that moment. Ed smelled the delicious aroma of food, his stomach loudly awakened-- he was ever the slave to his stomach --and he began to devour the offering ravenously. He ate a second sandwich. Then a third. He was halfway through the fourth when he noticed there were many curious stares directed at him from around the table. Mostly from the redheads.

"You might be wanting to eat a bit faster.."

"..meals are such the novelty with mum around.." FredorGeorge quipped right across from him.

He ignored the comment. He was used to such opinions on his eating habits, and snatched a fifth sandwich to his plate for safekeeping. When he finshed the fourth, in much the same manner as the rest, he took up said fifth sandwich, and ate at a more leisurely pace. Stomach now nearly sated, he noticed quite a few Order members sitting at the table.

Mrs. Weasley, predictably, was urging her charges up to bed as she maneuvered about the table collecting the dishes, balancing these upon the tip of her wand in much the same way she had the tray. When she got to Ed, her face looked as though she were searching him for something. She blinked.

She patted him on his right shoulder, her hand thunking dully against the port beneath the layers of clothes, and moved on around the table collecting the rest of the dishes. His thoughts were not entirely ordered as it had been a long day, and he was having significant misgivings about coming back to this house.

'Feels like a trap.' Ed thought. 'Now what?'

The room had a relaxing enough atmosphere to it. Most had drinks and were sipping them contentedly enough. Sirius raised his eyebrows, turned to Remus, and began.

"That's..uh..some bruise, Moony."

"Ed's doing. What a solid right cross." Remus said.

'So..that's it?' Ed thought, and raised a single eyebrow. He blinked a slow blink and looked over to Lupin. His jaw an ugly bluish-purple now.

"You. SHOT. Me. I do not take such tings lightly."

"And you were threatening an Auror." Lupin said.

Ed snorted. He muttered a few choice colorful words in several languages before...

"He vas de vone dat shot Jon vith dat head ting I vreally have no liking for." Ed slammed his right metal fist to the table for emphasis. "Also! According to your own STUPID!!! laws. Vas only vay for me to be getting answers to my questions vithout endangering everyvone else vith dis Ministry of yours." Ed said.

"Head thing?" He heard someone ask.

"He means 'obliviate'" Tonks said.

"Who's Jon?" Sirius asked.

"Ez good friend." Ed snarled, leaned back, and folded his arms across his chest. "..and my mechanic."

"A what..?" Mr. Weasley said, eyes glazed over in apparent excitement.

Ed rolled his eyes, pushed the sleeve up on his right arm, and pointed to the metal limb with his left. Fully believing that they must be the dimmist of bulbs to NOT see the cleary gloveless, obviously mechanical hand that had recently dented the table.

"A MUGGLE ting. Vhen ve left, he vas acting like he vas drunk. I tell you now dat head ting had better not put him in coma."

"It..won't." Tonks said delicately. "Not usually, anyway."

"I should not have come back." Ed said softly in Amestrian, and blinked another slow blink while he palmed his face with his left hand.

"Edward..While it's certainly regrettable that your friend had to be obliviated,.."

Ed narrowed his eyes.  
"...none of this would have been necessary had you simply..." this was a woman's voice..Ed didn't bother to look who's.

"Shut it." Ed interrupted, burying the twinge of guilt he felt; He knew better than anyone that his presence had endangered Jon. "I am not having to explain myself to any of you."

"That's where you're wrong, boy." This voice was gruff, and sounded familiar.

Ed glanced in its direction, vein rising at his temple at the mention of the word 'boy'--so close in meaning to 'short' in English. He saw a face covered with scars, missing a bit of nose, and contained a pair of mismatched eyes; One of which seemed to be spinning independantly of the other. Long gray hair. The name came up from his memory...'Moody'.

"Who sent you?"

Ed met the man's steady, beady eye with his golden glare.

"No Vone." Ed said evenly.

Moody narrowed his eyes, and approached Ed.

"Someone had to send you to infiltrate us. Who was it? Deatheaters..? Voldemort?"

Ed snorted, and blinked a slow blink.

" No vone sent me." Ed said evenly. "Are ve done?"

"No. Not quite."

Ed rolled his eyes and looked away, feeling impatient. More than that..he felt tired. He felt the hairs in the back of his neck rise; he was certain Moody's eye was on him, examining him. He never ever liked that kind of scrutiny. He bit back another yawn.

'Wonder how long this will take?' Ed thought, and rubbed the bridge of his nose mostly because he didn't want to scratch at his neck.

"You lied." Moody stated.

"No vone sent me Dammit." Ed said tiredly. "And anyvay, you had me blindfolded, and riding somting for vhile so I couldn't count my steps. Der is no vay I can know vhere dis place is, ok?"

"I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about this afternoon, in the coffee shop. You lied there."

"You veren't even.."

"I was. You just couldn't see me."

Ed looked again at Moody. He pictured that table in his mind that he had reluctantly approached. The nuances of everyones behavior, the odd shadows around Tonks in particular. He glanced over at Tonks and studied her like he would a new, strange array--she fidgeted uncomfortably under his gaze.

'The shadows around her..are normal.' Ed blinked. He looked back at Moody and narrowed his eyes.

"I just gave you something. In exchange, answer me this: What are you really here for?"

Ed blinked. Several times, and looked down.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you." Ed said in Amestrian with a sigh. Several moments passed as he debated within himself just what to say. What was the safe thing? The half truth that would ring truest?

"Well?" Moody said.

"I.." Ed started. "It's...It was my half brodder I told you of. Sort of. Who I am looking for is not him, though it is for certain he will be after me if he finds out I still live. He is as I described to you."

Ed stopped a moment, and looked to the ceiling, frowning slightly and blinking for a few moments. His chest felt increadably tight just then, and he pushed the feeling back as far as he could in his mind. He then looked to Moody once more.

"I need to know vhat happened...to my little brodder. My VREAL. Brodder."


	21. Fear and and woes

A/N: Knew I should've uploaded it yesterday..now look at it..damn! longest chapter yet.

* * *

Harry entered the room that he shared with Ron and Ed and sat on the bed. His mind whirling in circles over the day's events in such a way that he didn't quite feel the twinge of jealousy he often thought he would over Ed being included in an Order meeting, while he wasn't. The simple fact that, at that moment, the center of the spin of his thoughts was this: Ed was scary. Very scary.

Ron sat on his own bed, and even in the dark of the room, Harry could see he chewed nervously on his bottom lip. After a few moments, he glanced over at Ed's bed. Harry did as well. Ed's dull green knapsack sat right at the center. He looked over at Ron and met his best friend's eyes. Ron swallowed, and frowned.

"'e's really gonna sleep here, isn't 'e?" Ron said. "With us, I mean.."

"Looks like." Harry said. "Um..maybe we should warn.."

POP!POP!

Fred and George appeared and blocked Harry's view of Ron's worried features.

"What the bloody! What makes him so..." Fred stood with his arm crossed on his chest.

"..Well?...Out with it!" George had his hands at his hips and looked alternatively between both Harry and Ron.

Harry blinked..Where could he start? The whirling thoughts spun out of his grasp as soon as he could gather them.

"Come on now. They're having row with him.."

"..We heard them on the extendables. Loud and clear."

"They didn't block you?" Ron said in a disbelieving voice.

"Well...ok..We heard them start in on him...."

"Something about that bruise on Lupin's jaw.."

Harry's mind finally settled on what he found was the most scary fact he had witnessed in the confusion of that room.

"He easily took out 2 Aurors. All by himself." Harry said softly. "Both knocked out cold right in front of me."

"Then one came to and Ed threatened to cut his throat..." Ron added

He watched the twins blink in silence as they digested the news. Both he and Ron filled them in on the rest. Just as he was finishing, he could hear heavy footsteps, so very unlike Mrs. Weasley's, in the hall.

Pop! Pop! The twins left.

Harry quickly got beneath his covers, and watched the snake shaped door handle jiggle. The door slowly creaked open.

Harry heard Ed's voice muttering softly in his language. He watched as the small shadow trudged on by, slumped over at the shoulders. He heard the whump! of the bag as it hit the floor. And another WHUMP! followed almost immediately by a steady snore. Harry dared a peek over to Ed's bed. He blinked, then sat up fully.

"Out cold." Ron whispered.

"I can see that." Harry whispered back.

They sat in silence, just watching Ed. Harry half expected the twins to come back any moment. Then he heard the unmistakable footsteps of Mrs. Weasley. He once again threw the covers over his head a laid down, just as the door creaked open. He heard Mrs. Weasley shuffle in, and sigh almost in disappointment.

"Tsk. Poor thing, all worn out." He heard her whisper. He dared another peak out of the covers, and saw Mrs. Weasley drape a quilt over where he presumed Ed was on the bed. He watched up until she turned about, and had to cover his head and feign sleep himself. He heard her shuffle and pause by his bed. He was almost certain he'd been found out, but then she shuffled over to Ron and paused there as well. Then, there was the creak of the door, and the click as it shut.

Harry peeked out again, and looked at Ron. Ron looked back and shrugged. Then yawned a huge yawn. With a last fearful look in Ed's direction, Ron laid back into his bed. Harry looked himself. Nothing stirred.

He then regretfully removed his glasses, and tunneled back into the quilts.

The red flash and red lightning blinded him. He blinked furiously to clear his vision. When he could see, he first picked out the cold golden eyes, pupils inhuman slits, and glowing as if lit from within with a purplish light. The glare on the face looked so much like Ed's, but the smile...full of such cruelty ...

He laughed gleefully at that face...

..and woke with a start. Breathing hard.

The scar on his forehead was alive with white hot, burning pain. He raised both hands to it, and gasped while his mind found the many bed quilts around him to be only lit by the rising sun. Dream fading, he fumbled for his glasses. He glanced over at Ed's bed.

Ed was still there, judging by the soft snores. On top of the quilt Mrs. Weasley had tossed over him was a familiar looking, tight ball of tawny fur. The furry head rose and greeted Harry with a soft, and very purr-filled, 'meow'.

"You have strange tastes, Crookshanks." Harry whispered.

"Actually, Crookshanks is an excellent judge of character." Sirius whispered from the doorway. Harry looked over to his Godfather's concerned face, poking through the door. "I heard you cry out. You alright, Harry?"

"Scar again." Harry whispered, and brought his hands down. "What time is it?"

"'arly." Ron muttered within his cocoon of blankets across the room. "G'bak t'sleep."

Harry sleepily rubbed his eye with his knuckle under his glasses and yawned. He then nodded over at Sirius, took off his glasses, and placed them once again on the side table.

* * *

Ed woke up slowly, and blinked blurry eyes at what he supposed was a quilt. He felt the ache of long unused muscles and groaned. Then yawned. He heard and felt to something warm and purring lying on his left. It was then he realised he was lying on his stomach.

'No twins?' Ed thought, and blinked his eyes some more. 'Must be really early then.'

He yawned again, wholly reluctant to move just yet. He didn't want to disturb his visitor either. Yes, that sounded like a good excuse. Just lie there awhile. Enjoy the comfort while it lasts...Heard the thumps of uneven footsteps go by. His mind registered them as 'Moody'. He heard the creak of what he supposed was a door. And more footsteps. Another creak.

"Still asleep." He heard whispered.

"He going to be out all day?"

"You two. Leave him be." Mrs. Weasley's angry whisper. Another creak. And a more thumps.

Ed yawned, and then stretched. He rolled over to his right, and flipped the covers off his head. The purrs of his visitor intensified when he looked to the tawny ball of fluff. Ed smirked and reached to scratch the creature between its ears with his left living hand.

"Al would have adored you." Ed said in Amestrian. "Did you go and protect me from the twins today? All by yourself?"

The cat meowed and leaned into his touch. Ed scratched under the cat's chin for good measure, then sat up. By the light filtering through the windows, it was nearly noon. He looked down at himself and snorted in disgust, noting that he didn't even manage to get out of his boots. He scratched the back of his head with his left hand, yawned and climbed the rest of the way out of bed.

He dug out his trench coat and spares: complete with their associated belts, and set all aside on top of the nightstand. He chose to ignore the the many many letters he had stuffed in his pockets that spilled to the floor. What he wanted right then was simple enough..his own change of clothes, his own towel, and other toiletries. With them in hand, he headed down the hall.

He emerged from the shower soon after, (and thankfully not attacked this time by a certain House Elf), dressed in his own dark brown slacks, watch and chain attached to belt, and simple black muscle shirt. Long hair, dyed black, hanging loose about his shoulders. He didn't think he'd need to cover up his metal right arm, as he wasn't planning on going outdoors. Afterall, he still had the task of unpacking ahead of him. With a quick pit stop back at the room to toss the dirties in a pile on the floor by his bed, he headed off down the stairs to get a semblance of breakfast.

When he entered the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was there, assembling sandwiches for her brood. She greeted him with a smile.

"Hello there, Ed, dear. How are you?"

"Vwell enough." Ed replied with a smirk. "I vwas expecting your sons to vwake me like dhey usually do."

"Uh, well. They.." She blinked and looked down. She looked very uncomfortable to Ed. "They had other tasks to do today."

"No vorries." Ed smiled, and waved his left hand. "Anyvay, I came down for food, and a bowl. Den I plan on unpacking. I vill not be disturbing anyvone by doing dese tings, vill I?"

He watched her carefully. She was at the meeting the previous night. She had heard what he had done though Lupin and a bit through Tonks. And he could only guess at what Moody had seen him do. He was now certain Moody followed him about without being seen. Sure, she had let him sleep in the same room as Ron and Harry last night, but that was when he had just finished with his side of it. She had ushered him out herself as soon as he could no longer contain his yawning.

He was sure there would be some sort of change..once she learned just a tiny portion of what he was capable of. Would she consider him that? A danger?

"No. No that will be fine." Mrs. Weasley said brightly. She handed him a sandwich on a plate, with a small tight smile on her face. He accepted them, and the trust the words implied, with a small nod. She then fussed a bit over his bandage, taking her turn with the hourly change it needed, and left him to dine in peace. Tray of sandwiches held aloft by the very tip of her wand. He had the energy now to marvel at the feat, and a few arrays that might do the same thing occurred to him as he watched her go.

He finished eating, washed his plate, then grabbed a bowl and headed back to the room he shared with Ron and Harry. He was in the middle of sorting though his various research notes and books when Harry came back in and began to sweep up after his owl, who was perched, as usual, on the large wardrobe against the wall. Harry didn't so much as say a word to him, merely nodding to him that he existed. Ed thought he saw a slight flash of fear on his face, but chose to ignore it.

Ron ran into the room suddenly, two envelopes in his hand.

"Booklists have arrived!" he said, and threw one of the envelopes up to Harry. Ron then looked over to Ed, and he saw his eyes widen with obvious fear. Ed sighed.

'May as well do this now.' He thought as he grabbed the bowl on his bed, and headed to the hall. He went once again to the bath, and filled the bowl with water. Then to the toilet, flipped the lid down and sat with the bowl of water balanced on his thighs. He then draped his artificially black hair over his shoulder.

There was a knock on the door.

"I'm in here." Ed called.

"Decent?" Lupin's voice.

"Yeah. Vwhy?"

Lupin opened the door, and looked at Ed. He looked more sickly than ever, pale and even a bit flushed on his cheeks. But Ed refused to believe the man was as sick as he appeared, especially not after the blow Remus took from his right: The man had managed to stay standing. Remus looked first at the bowl with his kind eyes and then to Ed's draped hair. Then his eyebrows raised.

"Whatever are you up to?"

"Just changing it back." Ed pictured the array in his head, and it shined--beautifully balanced. He lowered his long hair to the water of the bowl, clapped his hands together, and touched the sides of the bowl. Blue lightning flashed, and Ed watched as the water got steadily darker from the dye leaving his locks. "It is vanity. I could vwait for it to fade, but I am liking my hair it's original color best."

"That's... alot like something an old schoolmate of mine did. With a wand of course, not.."

Ed smirked. And removed his hair from the water. He then lifted the bowl with his right metal hand, and looked over at Lupin.

"You vwouldn't happen to need anyting dyed black?"

"Uh..no. I just..uh..it's my turn with your bandage."

Ed nodded, and got up. He dumped the dye into the sink, and rinsed out the bowl. He then quickly ran his fingers through his now golden hair and braided the bulk of it into a rough braid down his back. As he completed his simple tasks, Ed watched Remus in the mirror, apparently searching through his pockets. His..well he guessed they were robes, looked quite worn and patched. As he watched Remus did take out one vial, but what ever it contained, it looked rather greenish.

"Blast..I forgot it..the last of the cream's in the kitchen, could..?"

"Sure. Got to return dhis anyvway." Ed blinked. "Vwait..'last of dh.."

"Don't worry. Severus let us know he will be by tonight to drop more of your cream off..."

"Ah. Dhat's good."

Remus stepped aside as Ed passed him, then followed in step behind. Ed heard "A Prefect!? Ron?!?" from the room he shared with Harry and Ron. It sounded like one of the twins were disgusted by the notion. He raised an eyebrow and blinked, but kept walking towards the kitchen, Remus just a step or two behind him.

Once he was settled at the kitchen table again, he sighed and raised up his chin. Neck exposed. Trusting. Remus too tended to fuss over the bandage, but he was much more efficient at the task than Sirius. Ed watched the man with a calm eye.

"How's it feeling? Does it hurt?"

"It itches more dhan I like. How's the jaw?"

Remus paused for but a moment.

"Fine, actually."

"So I saw. You are not being entirely human, are you?"

With this question, Remus froze his movements completely. Ed sat, neck still exposed, patiently awaiting an answer. Remus grabbed his chin and gently lowered it to look him directly in the eye. His kind eyes meeting Ed's gold steadily.

"Would that affect your opinion of me?"

"No."

"And you're certain you're a Muggle."

Ed snorted, and rolled his eyes. Remus let go of his chin and Ed raised it again for him to continue his fussing.

"How'd.."

"You didn't fall from my punch. I don't know vwhat is mixed vwith you, but it is plenty tough."

Remus blinked.

"That's..certainly true." Remus muttered softly. Then with a flick of his wand, the bandange taped itself back into place.

"I vwill not be telling de others if dhat..." Ed said as he rubbed at the bandage with his left hand.

"No...they already know about my...condition..."

Ed nodded. His stomach growled. Loudly. Ed cringed in embarrassment.

"Speaking of conditions..." and Remus with a laugh.

"Vright...bottomless pit in me is having demands that come first. Like alvways."

* * *

The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into the room. Her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand.

'Did you--did you get--?

She spotted the badge in Harry's hand and let out a shriek.

"I knew it! she said excitedly, brandishing her own letter. "Me too, Harry, me too!"

"No" Harry said quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron's hand. "It's Ron, not me."

"It--what?"

"Ron's prefect, not me." Harry said.

"Ron?" Hermione said, her jaw dropping. "but--are you sure? I mean--"

She turned red as Ron looked around at here with an defiant expression on his face.

"It's my name on the letter" He said.

"I.." said Hermione, looking thoroughly bewildered. "I..well...wow! Well done, Ron. That's really--"

Ron tossed a rolled up newspaper at her, looking annoyed and miserable.

Hermione caught it, and, being Hermione, unrolled the just-delivered newspaper and glanced at the front page. She gasped and went pale in the face. Wordlessly, she handed it to Harry. He looked at the front page of the Daily Prophet and blinked. It read:

XXXXXX

Muggle Mixup for Ministry Officials

Written by Rita Skeeter

It was a claimed to be a case of mistaken identity by Ministry official, but the evidence points to a blunder of outrageous proportions, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Eye witnesses to the scene at the Ministry of Magic claim that a short young man, bagged in the traditional manner for Muggle witnesses of the courts and escorted by a woman claiming to be a squib, was attacked outright with the obliviation charm mere steps from the courtrooms by none other than the Head of the Aurors, one Rufus Scrimgeour.

If the attack were not embarrassing enough, it seemed the young man in question was not a Muggle at all. Eyewitness saw this mysterious fellow easily dodge the charm, and then perform a spectacular wandless feat of magic--neatly encasing his would be attacker in a conjured stone fist.

A rather large crowd of angry wizards continually surrounded Aurors at the scene until forcibly dispersed late in the evening by a several Ministry officials.

The stone fist was later to be found a mystery in of itself, as no known canceling charms would cancel it, and a series of transfigurations, devised by the wizard Albus Dummbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, managed to free Mr. Scrimgeour from his erstwhile captive state. Further transfigurations are now rumored to be applied daily to keep the stone fist dissolved properly.

The whereabouts of the mysterious young wizard remain in question. A Ministry official at the scene claimed no charges were planned to be filed against him at this time.

XXXXXX

Harry swallowed.

"So that's it. That's why Scrimgeour let him go. Dumbledore had to have pulled it for him." Ron said, reading over Harry's shoulder.

"Only Dumbledore doesn't have that much say in the Ministry anymore." Harry said. "I..uh.."

"They're embarrassed. That gives Ed some protection at least." Hermione said. "I wonder what Tonk's supposed to be watching him for?"

"Him using the Dark Arts?" Ron said, and shrugged his shoulders. "Least they've stopped publishing rubbish about Dumbledore."

Hermione glanced over at Ed's area.

"Oh...look at that..."

Harry, having been in the room for hours, looked over, half wondering what she could be talking about. On the nightstand were piled many leather belts, which only slightly covered what looked like a mechanical arm, and something that looked suspiciously like a bentup metal spatula. Hermione walked over to the area, and looked at the large, messy pile of papers, books, and notebooks that nearly took up the entire bed.

'Of course.' Harry thought. 'Should've known.'

Harry watched her as she glanced the the titles of book after book, being surprisingly careful not to touch a thing on the bed.

"You wouldn't suppose he could use some..uh..help?" Hermione asked.

"Ask him. Prat left before we even arrived." FredorGeorge said, and one of them was looking at the newspaper article, thoughtfully.

Hermione looked over at Harry, then Ron. Harry shrugged.

Mrs. Weasley entered the room carrying a rather large pile of robes...

* * *

Ed made something of a headway in organising his great pile of research, but his peace in the room he shared with Ron and Harry was soon interrupted. While he took a short break and wandered downstairs to stretch his legs, he noticed the house was a flurry of activity now that Mrs. Weasley had returned from a place called "Diagon Alley". Mrs Weasley herself was beeming with excitment, joy, and what he could only assume was a mother's pride.

"Ron a prefect. That's the fourth in the family..." He overheard her as she did a maneuver he was beginning to call "wanding" that tacked up a rather large banner over the dinner table. He could read that the red banner said "Congratulations Ron and Hermione--New Prefects", and was beginning to suppose the unfamiliar word was some sort of promotion or reward.

"I'd thought we'd have a little party, not a sit-down dinner," she said to Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George as they too, entered the room. "Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron, and I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled," she added, beaming.

At the thought of a party, Ed immediately wanted to escape the room. He turned and found his way blocked by none other than Moody. Inwardly he cursed, but held his gaze steady. Moody looked at him with his dark beady eye, the other spinning wildly about.

"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here." Mrs Weasley said brightly, as Moody shrugged off his traveling cloak. "We've been meaning to ask you for ages--could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."

Moody narrowed his beady eye at Ed, and frowned. Then looked over at Mrs. Weasley.

"No problem, Molly.."

Moody's blue eye swiveled upward and stared fixedly at the ceiling of the kitchen.

"Drawing room..."he growled, as the pupil contracted. "Desk in the corner? Yeah, it's a boggart..Want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?"

"No. no, I'll do it myself later." beamed Mrs. Weasley. "You have your drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually.." She gestured at the scarlet banner. "Fourth prefect in the family!" she said fondly, ruffling Ron's hair.

"Prefect, eh?" growled Moody. His normal eye went the where Ron was at the table, the blue fully focused on Ed. Ed held his ground, though it felt as though the eye was looking right through him.

"Well, congratulations." Moody said. "Authority figures always attract trouble, but I suppose Dumbledore thinks you can withstand most major jinxes or he wouldn't have appointed you.." Moody shifted his beady eye back to Ed, and raised a scarred eyebrow.

Ed felt a hand on his left shoulder, and knew he couldn't escape the celebration now. He sighed and looked to who it was. He saw round glasses and a lightening shaped scar on a pale face framed with dark unruly hair: Harry. He handed Ed a mug filled with a yellow liquid topped with foam. Ed sniffed at it uncertainly, and let Harry pull him aside. He settled into a seat near Tonks and Sirius; Harry sat right next to him.

"This is one party I think you really should be at." Harry whispered with a small smile on his face. Ed thought the smile looked forced.

"I..Vvrealie... not goot vvith diz..." Ed muttered while he looked about uncomfortably at the friendly, smiling faces surrounding the table. He glanced at the door. Then he turned back to the table held the mug with both his mismatched hands. There was a toast to Hermione and Ron, and Ed joined in because it was expected, not certain at all at just what he was congradualting them for. They did look happy, and so he was certainly happy for them.

He managed a small smirk after listening to Tonks, Sirus and Remus recalling their days at the place called 'Hogwarts'. He felt his stomach growl, and then reached for the food before him to fill it. Hermione was speaking with Remus, and he heard something about "werewolf segregation" and "wizards thinking they're superior to anybody else." With that, Ed's smirk grew just a little wider. He met her eye, and smiled his true smile, somewhere between a smirk and a frown, just for a moment.

He was pulled aside by Mrs. Weasley and introduced to the son named "Bill". He was unsurprised he was yet another redhead, but pleasantly surprised that the man shared his own tastes in hair and clothes.

'But..dammit..he's taller.' Ed thought with annoyance. 'People are SO freakishly TALL here.'

Then Mrs. Weasley went on and fussed with both of them to cut their hair.

"No. Mine iz diz vvay for goot vvreason." And Ed held up his right metal hand and pointed to it with his left. "Iz muck eazier for me to be carink for hair if kept long bekauze of diz. Hair iz being kaught in jointz all time."

"But its really getting..uh..out of hand, and you both are so handsome.." Ed choked on his drink at that point. He considered himself many things, but never EVER considered himself THAT. Bill kindly patted his back to help clear his airway. The polite conversations continued, Mrs weasly moved on to other things and people. Following the flow of the party.

More conversations. He learned Bill happened to work at a place called "Grinnocks" as a kind of banker, desk person, or some such. Ed nodded but understood very little other than it was a job that had a lot of paperwork involved. Then came the kind of questions directed at himself that he always dreaded:

"That arm..Muggle-made isn't it? Amazing work.."

Ed nodded politely, and quickly excused himself to get a refill on his half-full mug. He was wishing at that point he had thought to cover the arm and worn gloves. He drank to keep his mouth too busy to answer, then used the built in excuse of "having to use de luu" to go upstairs. His escape was a successful one, for no one called him back.

He took the stairs, and at the first landing..he heard unmistakable sound of someone sobbing..He looked about. Listening carefully. It was coming from the drawing room...

He finished climbing the stairs and called out.

"Hello..? Vwhat's vwrong?"

There was no answer and the sobbing continued. He walked across the landing and opened the drawing room door. There, in the moonlight, lay the body of Ron Weasley. Ed had seen enough dead bodies to know that with but a glimse.

The sobbing was coming from figure hunched over in the dark corner, a wand in her hand. The head lifted a little, and Ed could see it was Mrs. Weasley. She lifted her wand and pointed it at the dead body. Ed sprang into action, bursting into the room..His only thought..

'...NOT HERE!! NOT HER!!'

Before she could say a word, he grabbed her wrist with his metal right and forced her hand open. She gasped aloud from the cold painful grip, and her wand dropped, clattering to the ground. He then kicked the wand as far as he could and squatted to face her, looking into her eyes, purposely blocking her view of the dead body. He eased his grip on her injured hand, but kept holding it.

She sobbed uncontrollably, and he was at a loss at what to say. Her son was dead...what ever could he say that would be remotely enough? He blinked, and swallowed. He put his left hand first on her shoulder, then cupped her jaw.

"N-never..never DO dat..No matter how tempting it is being..." Ed swallowed back a lump in his throat. "Life..it goes in vone direction. Never..."

He saw it then, the subtle shift as the room began to change...shifting to the white plain that was far too familiar. And it was then he knew had acted too late...

The Gate was summoned.

And there was no stopping it.

* * *

Harry was behind Ed and heard the sobbing as well. He creeped along as silently as he could, and heard Ed call out.

"Hello..? Vwhat's vwrong?"

He was nearly to the top of the stairs, at the first landing when Ed rushed into the drawing room--moving so fast Harry could have sworn he had to have disapporated. He reached the doorway and his brain turned icy cold. Ron was dead, lying on the floor in a patch of moonlight. 'How can that be? I just left Ron downstairs.'

He saw Ed viciously kick a wand across the room, and then squat in front of the sobbing figure in the corner. He saw that it was Mrs. Weasley.

He watched as Ed gently cupped her chin with his left hand, metal right shining in the moonlight as he shifted slightly.

"N-never..never DO dat..No matter how tempting it is being..." Ed said, his voice thick with some emotion. "Life..it goes in vone direction. Never..."

Then, the body of Ron dissolved..changed. The room began to fill with..a 'whiteness'. There was no other way to describe it. It certainly wasn't fog to Harry's mind. There was nothing cloudlike about it. He looked over and noticed that the desk in the corner was now open before it faded before the oppessive whiteness.

'The boggart.' Harry thought, and looked back to Ed. 'He kicked away the only way I know of to fight it.'

Ed slowly stood, and squared his shoulders.

The room grew cold. So very, very cold. Harry could see his breath as he exhaled. Goosebumps erupted up his arms, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Oddly, the room was no longer dark. The whiteness had erased even the shadows.

Then the thing descended from above and landed with a deafening boom. A great, dark, SOMETHING. An object of some sort. It was so large, it looked as though it extended well beyond the ceiling, and filled the entire drawing room. Whatever the object was, it was covered in what looked like runes. The front, that which faced Ed, the part Harry could see easily, appeared to have some sort of elaborate carving on it. Harry blinked, trying to puzzle it out. It mostly reminded him of a tree. Or rather, the roots of a tree.

Ed turned around, golden eyes steady, and jaw set in a stubborn line. Hands at his sides.

'Ed's worst fear. This must be Ed's worst fear. He's in front of the boggart.' Harry thought. As deadly as Ed had seemed the previous night, he wondered what Ed would do...what --weird thing --would he make the boggart change into in his version of defensive magic.

Mrs. Weasley glanced at Harry with a worried, pleading look, tears streaking down her face, and then looked back at Ed. At that moment, as impossible as it seemed, he realised that Ed, whom he had been actually scared of since he'd come back to the Black house, was truly in real danger; He realised that Ed had no way to defend himself against a boggart.

"Bloody...H-he doesn't know it's not real.." Harry said, and fumbled for his wand.

Mrs. Weasley let out a piercing shriek, eyes looking at the thing Ed was facing. Harry looked as well, and nearly gagged at what he saw.

A figure had appeared, made of the whiteness. It stood in front of the large object. It's right arm was flesh and blood, and it ended at the shoulder. The left leg, also flesh and blood, ended mid-thigh. Blood freely dripped from these two limbs onto the what passed as the ground in the whiteness, pooling beneath the thing. The thing grinned widely and spoke to Ed in what sounded like his language.

Ed replied in the same language and gestured, pointing at himself with his right metal thumb, and waving dismissively with his left hand at Mrs Weasley.

The thing of whiteness nodded, still grinning as if filled with mad joy, and vanished. The great object with the elaborate carving split in the middle, and creaked open, revealing an inky darkness that went on for infinity. A boy, looking much like Ed, just a bit taller, blond hair, gold eyes, emerged. Body not much more than bones held together with skin. Harry was amazed to see him able to move at all. This boy stumbled towards Ed, and he heard Ed make a small, pained noise. The boy's face twisted in anger and hate.

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and startled. He hadn't realised he'd been frozen to the spot...unable to do anything but watch. He heard the boy as he yelled in Ed's language.

"What's going on?"

Professor Lupin stood right behind him, hand on his shoulder. Right behind him was Sirius, followed by the limping Moody. Lupin looked from Ed, to the cowering Mrs. Weasley in the corner behind Ed, then to the boney boy before the carved the thing of darkness--the very whiteness of the room, and seemed to understand in an instant. Pulling out his own wand, he rushed between Ed and the boy and said, very firmly and clearly,

"Riddikulus!"

The whiteness and everything else vanished. A silvery orb hung in the air over where the boy had stood. Lupin waved his wand once more and the orb vanished in a puff of smoke.

Ed's head flinched back, and he closed his eyes. He took one step back, then another. Mrs. Weasley sobbed behind him, her face in her hands. Ed rubbed the bridge of his nose with his left hand, and scowled. Harry watched him frown.

Lupin looked first to Ed, then to Molly. Lupin reached for Ed's shoulder, face full of concern.

"Ed..?"

Instead of looking towards Lupin's voice, Ed looked at the doorway. Harry could clearly see his eyes. They nearly glowed with an inner fire, looking like molten gold even in the dark room. Ed pushed Lupin's hand away and marched towards Harry. Once he was at the doorway, he roughly pushed them all aside in his sudden rush to get past them. Harry turned and watched him head toward the stairs...stomping hurriedly up to the second level, nearly at a run.

Harry blinked, and turned to follow. Moody grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Leave 'im alone. He needs it after being fool enough to face that boggart with no wand. I saw him kick Molly's away."

There was crashing noises above them. Ed saying things in that language loudly.

"He doesn't know. He..didn't know it was a boggart." Harry said, and jerked his arm away. "I've.."

Harry heard Ed stomping back down the stairs. He turned and ran just as Ed reached their level. Ed was faster by far and soon outdistanced him, nearly stepping down to the ground floor when Harry had just reached the fourth step down.

"Ed..Ed!!" Harry called. "Hey!! ED!!"

Ed turned down the hall, completely ignoring Harry.

Harry desperately wished he could apporate...Hurriedly taking the steps two at a time as he heard Ed's stomps getting ever closer to the door. He rounded the corner and took a breath.

"ED!!!! " Harry yelled. "IT WASN'T...!!STOP!!! LISTEN TO ME!!!"

Ed had his hand on the knob. Jiggled it forcefully. Harry heard something like a growl as he ran down that hallway. It had never seemed so long before. Harry heard the distinctive sound as Ed slapped his mismatched hands together, and felt his stomach flip.


	22. crumbling grief

A/N:Yep..the angst chapter...

The real challenge here is to write it in such a way that Ed stays IC. The thing I love most about Ed is the simple fact that he NEVER feels sorry for himself. Now how to write angst while honoring that AND making him go through the grieving process? yikes. I think I managed alright, and even moved the story along as well. Enjoy as my brain continues to misbehave:D

* * *

The sudden clanging of the door chimes made Ed pause. He blinked, mismatched hands just short of touching the wood of the infuriating door he couldn't open. He pulled them back, and shook them out to disperse the circulating energy.

'Ok, Al..just a bit longer.' Ed thought, and crossed his arms on his chest.'You might hate me, but I'll set things right...'

He moved aside when he heard the footsteps echoing down the hall behind him. He didn't look to see who it was; He looked to the hated door. He heard breathless panting..it sounded like more that one person behind him. He frowned slightly, wondering if any of them would delay him more than absolutely necessary.

"Ed..stop..listen.." Harry's voice, panting heavily. "None of it..none.."

Uneven footsteps echoed down the hall. Ed gritted his teeth and blinked a slow blink. 'More delay. Al can't wait that long.'

He looked to the side, watching them. Standing deceptively relaxed. Harry was nearly collapsed on the ground, trying to catch his breath a few feet from him. Remus just a step behind Harry. Sirius, supporting a teary faced Mrs. Weasley, and Moody right behind Remus.

Ed narrowed his eyes, watching for a wand. He was sure there would be a wand any moment. Who would it be that would answer the door?

Remus raised both hands and patted the air. Ed blinked a slow blink and looked away, impatient to get on with what must be done. Already planning, calculating that he might have just enough strength to launch the equation....

"Ed.." Remus said, voice soft and maddingly calm, speaking as if the sound of his voice could break him. "None of what you just saw was real."

"Bullshit" Ed said. "I tell you dhis now: Open dhis door, or dhere vwill BE no door."

"It's true." Harry panted. "listen..."

He heard someone approaching, and looked to the side, watching without moving his head. He glimpsed pale hands still held in the air, but a few feet from him.

"Listen. What you saw..It was called a boggart." Remus said, voice still maddingly calm.

Ed blinked. That sounded both suspicious and familiar. He turned his head to Remus.

"You remember? Right? That book Hermione lent you?" Harry said quickly. "It's in there."

Ed shook his head. And looked to the door. "I do remember vreading about dhem..But dhat.."

"It was a boggart. Just a boggart." Remus said, voice calm and steady.

"That...THING!...that PLACE!!..CAN'T BE FAKED!" Ed yelled, and looked to Remus with a glare.

"I'm telling you it can, if you believe it enough." Remus said calmly. "Boggarts feed off fear. The bigger..the deeper the fear, the more the boggarts can change to access it...to feed."

Ed looked to the door and chewed on his lower lip.

"Can't..leave him dhere while I'm..." Ed said softly. "... I have to finish dhis.. last I saw..he was put back but...not enough.."

"Ed. Please..." Remus said.

"It was a boggart. They pull your worst fear from your own mind." Mrs. Weasley said, tearful voice full of worry. "Y-you saw mine.." She added.

He quickly glanced back at Mrs. Weasley's tear streaked face.

"T-that... v-vwasn't...?"

She laughed a tear filled laugh, and wiped at her eyes. She sniffed.

"Thank goodness, no...just a stupid boggart that I couldn't get rid of."

"Ron's still in the basement..ALIVE!! Really! I JUST left him." Harry said, and carefully picked himself off the wooden floor.

Ed turned around and faced Mrs. Weasley, watching her face carefully. Looking for shame. Guilt. Even a mask of some sort to show with his next question.

"You are certain you vwere not to commit dhe taboo when I found you in dhat room?"

"Taboo?" Mrs. Weasley's face scrunched in confusion. It was completely the one expression he had not been expecting to see. Ed tilted his head slightly, and looked at the others as they too looked at him with confused gazes. "You vreally don't...? No vone..does..?"

The door chimes rang again. Remus turned his head to glance at the door a moment.

"Edward. You are not a prisoner here by any means. If you really feel you need to go.."

Ed nodded, and looked down, chewing on his bottom lip. Studying the lines on the floor like they were the most important thing in the world. Thoughts of Al whirling in his mind..but the idea that it was all just an illusion.a trick to spend his life carelessly...he had to use it precisely right...there was no room for mistakes of any kind in an equation of this nature...

"I... I vwill be staying..for a little vwhile...I dhink."

Remus nodded and dared to pat his left shoulder with his hand. Ed looked away, and closed his eyes for a few moments, reining in what almost spilled out.

Lupin then waved his wand and opened the door to their visitor. Ed had a clear view of Harry's face as it contorted into something like thin-veiled hate. Curious now, Ed looked over his shoulder at the doorway, and raised an eyebrow.

Shoulder length black hair just as dark and greasy looking as ever. Pale face a mask set in a sneer. Just looking at the man made his neck itch, and Ed rubbed at the bandage with his left. The cold eyes behind a hooked nose glided to him last. Severus nodded a slight nod. Ed nodded back.

"Mr. Lupin. I was not expecting such a... friendly..reception this evening. I trust everything is in order?"

"Yes. Yes. Everything's fine. Come in. We were... simply enjoying a bit of celebration."

"So I see." Ed imagined his cold eyes on Mrs. Weasley's tear streaked face, as the man walked past him. "Whatever for?" Severus said coldly.

"Hermione and my Ron were made Prefects for Gryffador this year." Mrs. Weasley sniffed.

"I can see why that would make for such a..happy.. occasion." Severus said, pausing in his steps right by Mrs. Weasley. Ed nearly rolled his eyes at Harry's clear facial expression of revulsion. It was like a gauge to measure Severus's physical presence, getting more obvious the closer the man got to Harry. "However much it pains me to not to be joining your festivities this evening, Mrs. Weasley, I have something of importance to discuss with the Order."

"Of course. The party's just about finished, anyway. Off to bed with you Harry. Go on now." Mrs. Weasley brushed her face off quickly with her hands, and cupped one hand around Harry, gently maneuvering him towards the stairs.

"Ed..?" Harry glanced over his shoulder. "Are you ok..?"

"Yeah..dhink so." Ed said, and managed to dredge up a smirk for Harry. "I'll be up zoon. Ztill have to..uh..clean my..um.. mess before I can zleep anvway.."

* * *

Harry regretfully went up the stairs and approached the room he shared with Ed and Ron. He had wanted so much to talk to Ed. Just to find out what he had seen was.

'He COULDN'T fight off a boggart.' Harry thought, still finding himself mystified by the realization. He had known how to fight one off since he was taught to by Profession Lupin in his third year.

He opened the door looked about the room. He saw loose papers strewn all over, covering the floor, his bed, and Rons. Harry looked at Ed's bed and found that one the worst off of them all. It looked as though Ed's mountain of books, papers, and notebooks had exploded. He shuffled in, parting the papers with his feet as he made his way.

"What the..?" Ron stammered, and Harry looked over at his friend's wide eyes. "We just finished cleaning..!"

"It's Ed's..he said he'd clean it." Harry said.

"Mum's acting weird..she hugged me so hard I'd thought she broke a rib."

"Yeah..well. I saw..that boggart..um..You were dead."

"Really? Wow...I never..um..I guess I should've.." Ron blinked. "Um..did she do it in?"

"No..Lupin did. Don't tell your dad. She made me promise not to tell, so I'm making you."

"Don't worry. I can use it later when I want something."

Harry made it to his bed with his shuffling walk and began to pick his way through the papers on his bed.

He watched Ron as didn't bother. He just walked right on top of the papers, crunching them underfoot, and, once he got to his bed, with one sweep of his arm all the papers there were tossed to the floor.

Harry raised his eyebrows, as Ron settled onto his bed. Ron looked at him.

"What?"

"You're not scared of him anymore?"

"Spitless. But figure the git doesn't care for his own things, why should I?"

Harry blinked, and had to admit Ron had a point. He swept the papers on his bed down onto the floor as well, and climbed on. He looked around..from that vantage point he could almost imagine it all as snow.

There was a knock on the door.

Ron reached over and opened it. Hermione and Ginny peeked around the door.

"Came to say g'ni..Cripes!" Ginny said, blinking at the strewn papers all about the room.

"What happened? I mean..he was sorting it all right? Why all the sudden..?" Hermione said

"I think..um..He..did this after he got in front of the boggart..."

"What?..You didn't..Spill it, mate. What was it?" Ron said, and hugged his pillow, looking excitedly interested.

Harry blinked, and shook his head. Stuggling to find the words. He took a breath.

"It...looked.." Harry began. ".. sort of like..um..only not...and um no..felt sort of...like a Dementor..only it.. wasn't..I can't really...I just don't know WHAT it was, really." Harry finished, blinking, realising he stammered though his entire description, and he didn't really say anything meaningful at all. He looked at each of them, and swallowed.

"It's his fear, Ron." Hermione said. "And it's private."

Hermione, seeing that they were decent, opened the door and bent to begin the task of tidying up. Ginny joined her.

"At least I know the git's afraid of something." Ron pouted. "'Dementor-like', huh? Sounds creepy."

Harry nodded.

"You have no idea. He didn't know it wasn't real. We had to convince him right at the front door. I really thought he was going to leave again."

"Scared him that bad. Huh." Ron chewed on his bottom lip.

"That's the thing. He wasn't scared at all from what I could see. It was more like..it was an emergency. Like he had to go and do something straight away."

"Harry..Ron..look!" Hermione said excitedly, holding up some papers. Whatever they were, they had scribbles and notations all over in Ed's scrawl.

"It's notes. What's so.." Harry said

"No...is that what I think.." Ron said

"He HAS to be a wizard! No matter WHAT he says..he has to." Ginny said.

Hermione stood up and shuffled her way through the papers much like Harry had done earlier. She then handed Harry the notes. Admidst the scrawl, he could plainly see what was much like his own welcoming letter. Only it was addressed to Ed. Harry blinked.

"Clearly didn't like the idea very much." Ron said. "I mean, look at it. Covered with..um..what is it anyway..?

"I think it's math." Hermione said. "I recognise 2 symbols..but the rest..and his writing.."

"..I can read it..barely. Not this, though." Harry said and handed the papers back.

"...says Dumbledore wants to assess him for placement..." Hermione said, picking her way through the notes and scribbles.

"What. They missed him?" Ron said.

"How can they miss a wizard? Don't they get put on a list as soon as they're born or something?" Harry said, remembering he had been told just that by Hagrid his first year.

"Yeah." Hermione said, blinking, face scrunched in confusion. "It was in Hogwarts..A History..."

* * *

Ed watched them go on their way, Mrs. Weasley urging them all up the stairs. Mrs. Weasley gave Ron so great a hug that he squeeked, proving that he was both alive and himself to Ed. Still, Ed's chest felt incredibly tight as he watched them all, the words "I hate you.." in his beloved brother's voice echoing in his ears.

Those words..from his own brother's lips..told him more than anything else that he was truly a monster. He stood in the hall, near the door and watched as Moody, Remus, and Sirius entered the basement door to begin the Order meeting with Severus.

Did it really matter at all that a so called creature had said it to him, not Al himself? The words rung too true..went too deep. He had told himself those same words night after night in many ways.

"I hate you..! This is all your fault, you bastard!" Words in his head..just words. "It should be you here, not me. You should be the one stuck in the armor..not able to feel..how'd you like THAT you son of a BITCH!!"

The damning words in Al's voice, and it had been so long since he had seen him. He adored every syllable even as their meaning tore into him and shredded his heart. He held on..listening...only because it was time with Al.

It was a while later when his legs buckled, and he slid sideways down the wall, listening inwards to Al's beloved, and damning voice. He looked at nothing but the dark around him. He heard real sounds over the words, intruding on his private, spinning thoughts; the clinking of his automail plates, for instance, as his shoulders shook.

It was but a simple matter for him to focus everything away.. out of reach of his awareness.

He carefully wrapped the sound of Al's voice around him like he would the music of alchemy. He folded his arms around him, intent on savoring every damning word in his head; One metal finger tracing the round scar in the shape of the array he had once drawn in his own blood on his left forearm.

..He felt someone's warm arms wrapped around him, holding him tentatively like he was a fragile thing.

"Please...stop it...stop hurting yourself."

It was Mrs. Weasley's voice. Muffled into his right shoulder--his port. He blinked and realised his left forearm was stinging. He blinked more. Listening to her sobbing breaths. He slowly unwrapped his arms and held them to either side of her in the air. Eyes wide and uncertain..how far had he taken himself away..?

"Shhh...it's ok, dear. It's ok...." And she hugged him a little tighter..it was a firm hold, but not suffocating. There was a little rocking motion to her hug, and one hand stroked the back of his head. He blinked, and realised there was light in the hall and it was behind him. High enough above him that it couldn't be her hand on his back that held it.

"Shhh..it's alright..." Her voice soothing in tone. It warred with Al's in his mind. His chest tightened and he found he couldn't breathe."It's alright.." Her voice soothing in muttering nonsense English words he didn't know in his ears. It was hypnotic in a way, her mothering...It had been a too long since he'd allowed anyone this close...

"N-no" Ed said..voice thick, he struggled with the English words he needed. "Not vr-right... not vvorth..."

"What..a simple hug..?" Mrs. Weasley said soothingly, and rubbed his back-- the portion without a port-- with her palm in small soothing circles. Pressure just even enough.

He didn't want to let Al go...but her voice...the warmth of the embrace around him....He gasped for breath, desperately holding on, blinking. Something warm and wet trickled down his cheeks, and he fought within himself to get them to stop. He only succeeded in making his throat hurt as he swallowed. Which began the cycle: The more he struggled to stop them, the more they flowed down his face.

It was a small thing..the movement he made, barely enough to return the hug she offered him. His didn't grip her tight, his touch featherlight against her back. He blinked back the tears that escaped his eyes, but he certainly didn't sob. It was more a shaking breath that he took and let it out..It made the tightness in his chest release just enough that he was able to feel the hum of several arrays around him.

He jerked his head for a look at their source, and she held the back of his head to restrain him..touch gentle and firm. She rubbed gentle circles at the base of his neck with a finger and thumb, touch so soothing he nearly closed his eyes.

He saw them anyway; Remus, Moody, and Severus, holding wands with their tips lit up, looking down at him. He didn't have the will to even manage a scowl, much less wonder how they had gotten behind him without him noticing. He instead looked away, giving in to the effect Mrs. Weasley was having on him. He touched his forehead to her shoulder.

"Shh..." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly. "Shhhhh..."

"Hmp..better than I thought it would.." Moody growled. "Nice work, Molly."

"Hush, Alestor..." Molly said in that same soothing tone. "Now is not a good time to be asking him too many.."

"Just saying I'm surprised he let you get that close." Moody growled. "From what we've seen, he doesn't like physical contact too much.

"Me too." Mrs. Weasley said. "But he was so..I dunno..like he wasn't here anymore."

"Did it to himself, I think. Like that wound on his arm." Moody said.

"No..I suspect it's more like shock. You didn't feel what he faced in that room." Remus said. "That boggart really dug deep and outdid itself. It managed to manifest throughout the room."

"Ztill.... 'ere.." Ed said sleepily."I...am not...

"shhh..of course not.." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly. "You're just drained, dear..."

Ed scrunched up his eyebrows, and lifted his head.

"Vait..You say..Boggart.." Ed said. "..did dhis..to me?"

"In a manner of speaking.." Remus said.

"Bull. Shit.." Ed said and blinked a slow blink.

"Watch your language, dear.." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly.

"Fine. You're all full of crap." Ed said sleepily in Amestrian. And he gently pushed Mrs. Weasley away. He wiped his tears with his left hand in annoyance, then leaned his back on the wall. He rested the back of his head against it as he regarded each of them with his golden eyes.

"Can you answer a few questions?" Remus said, tone carefully friendly, and calm. "About what we saw in that room?"

"Vaz boggart, vright? I am not knowing vhat you saw dhere." Ed grunted. " I am not being a mind vreader."

"Who was the boy..?" Mrs. Weasley asked softly. "Can you tell me that?"

A fresh tear escaped from the corner of his eye and ran down his cheek, and he closed his eyes. Pushing back against the tightness that threatened to rise in his chest and throat. He breathed in a shaking breath, and let it out.

"My brodder. The vreal vone."

He felt Mrs. Weasley brushing back his unruly bangs, and he opened his eyes once more.

"He seemed...ah..really angry." Remus said, and he squatted down. "at you."

"Yeah." Ed said; He lifted his head and looked down. He folded his arms again; Metal fingers picking at the stinging scar. Mrs. Weasley cupped his cheek, and turned his head towards her.

"Edward...stop.." He couldn't feel her hand, but his pressure plates in his fingers told him something impeded his movements.

"You say he went an entire day without treatment..." Severus said impatiently.

"Let's..uh..have a look at that burn.." Remus said. Ed sighed, and resigned himself to the treatment and the inevitable fussing that came with it. Mrs. Weasley backed up to his side, keeping a firm hold on his right hand; Remus took her place in front of him. Ed brought his left down to his side, and lifted his chin once more.

He had a good view of both Moody and Severus. He supposed he should call Moody "Alestor", and watched the narrowed, mismatched eyes as they examined him.

"I'm curious, boy." Moody grunted. "You mentioned a 'Taboo' here earlier. Care to tell me about it?"

Ed blinked a slow blink. "...vhat da shit. Old fart like you should know dis..makes no sense..."

"Hmph. More sense than you got, apparently boy...Facing a boggart without a wand..? Pure lunacy." Moody snorted. "No offense, Remus."

"Heh. None taken." Remus smirked.

"Well boy?"

Ed swallowed, and glanced over to Mrs. Weasley.

"English vwords..um..." Ed chewed on his lower lip. "It..um..It is being very deadly to eben try. Very few, almost none, are known to survive dhe try. Only those vwho are in deep sorrow ober de loss of loved vones eben dhink of .." Ed blinked, and looked back to Alestor. "...For vanting dem back ...badly enuff.."

Ed's chin was seized by long soft fingers, and he found himself looking at cold dark eyes.

"Are you referring to the lost Art of bringing of the dead back to the life?"

Ed glanced in Mrs. Weasley's way.

"She vwould likely have died trying..left her fam..."

"Mr. Elric."

His chin was squeezed by those long fingers, and he looked again at Severus's cold eyes as they narrowed. He met the gaze and held it his with his own. Severus looked down at him from his hooked nose, pausing to ensure he had his attention.

"In the future, BE. Absolutely certain not to NEGLECT that burn on your neck any further. I am far too busy to be making house calls for such.. " Severus paused with a slight curl to his upper lip. "..small ...matters." Ed felt a vein in his temple throb at the hated word "small", but found he couldn't dredge up so much as a glare at the man.

Severus freed his chin and stood back up.

"Lupin..Mrs. Weasley...Good Evening."

Then, with the slightest of nods at Alestor, walked through the door.

* * *

With the forces of Hermione and Ginny combined, Harry and Ron had no choice but to help out tidying Ed's papers, especially after they all learned of Ed facing the boggart without a wand. Not to mention the Hogwarts acceptance letter. Harry rather thought Ron gave in just to avoid the row that was sure to follow if he refused, as he didn't seem to mind the mess one bit. Working together, they had managed to stack all the strewn papers into several piles, and placed them carefully onto Ed's bed by the time he arrived at the doorway.

"vWvaz.. ? But..?" Ed stammered, voice rough, and looked about the room, eyes a kind of dull light brown instead of the earlier molten gold. He then looked at each of them, as they stood from their self-appointed task, and gave them all a slight, if unsteady, nod. Harry saw his eyes and thought them rather puffy and red.

He noticed Mrs. Weasley stood, towering right behind Ed in the hall. Her hand lightly on his left shoulder for just a moment. Her own eyes even more puffy and red than when he had last seen her.

"Right, t'ah.." Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "Um.. you lot..Ginny..Hermione, you too, to bed with you..come on.." Mrs. Weasley called, voice rough from her own tears. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes, but obeyed. Hermione followed with a slight blush to her cheeks as she passed by Ed at the doorway.

The girls gone now, Ed entered the room, and without a word to either Ron or Harry, went to his bed. Once there, he began to transfer the stacks of papers, books, and notebooks to the floor, moving very sluggishly as he did so. Like they weighed so much that he could barely manage to lift them at all.

"Would you like some help with that?" Harry said, after watching for a few moments. Ed glanced up at the sound of his voice, and blinked.

"Umz..no. I.." Ed said, and let out a breath. "You haz donz plenty 'nuff for me alvready. I haz it."

Harry decided to let well enough alone at that point, and, after Ron firmly latched the door closed, readied himself for bed. Harry and Ron were under the sheets just as Ed was pulling off his boots. Ron waited patiently as Ed finished changing, and Harry noticed for the first time the many scars the covered Ed's muscled back. Most were located near or even partially under the metal thing on his shoulder, but there were many others...those were quite large and jagged in nature. One in particular looked like something large had taken a bite out of his side.

He glanced at Ron, just glimpsing Ron looking away and swallowing. He then knew Ron's overactive imagination had provided him with just what had left that scar.

'Probably something big, nasty, and with sharp teeth attached.' Harry thought. After a few moments, he realised this was the first time Ed was actually changing clothes with them in the same room. 'That's why I haven't noticed..and I thought I was getting as bad as the Dursley's. The hall was dark that first night...'

He also noted the circular one on his living arm that was so red...it had to hurt. His own scar burned and he rubbed at it with his fingers in annoyance.

"Hey, um..Ed."

Ed paused in buttoning up his long sleeved sleepware and looked over at him. Eyes dulled to a muddy brown now. Harry supposed that was what made him pause. The change was just so, well, sudden. As far as he knew, people's eyes didn't normally change color at all --it HAD to be magic that was doing it.

"..um that scar on your arm.. looks like it's bleeding.." And indeed it did, as the sleeve seemed pasted flat to it, and some red leaked through the fabric.

"Oh..dIz.. onzy vrubbed badzly vith ze metal. vill bez ok by mornink." Ed then finished his task and looked over to Ron, nodding his head slightly. Harry was then plunged into darkness, and he soon settled himself to sleep.


	23. Of fur and theropy

A/N: I thank all who take the time to read and review this story, and I am fully enjoying writing this little thing out.

Aaaaannnddd! I can't please everyone. Wah! So I mostly just amuse myself. (Never said that Ed was speaking german. Made-up accents are funny that way.)Apologies for misspelling 'Hermione' so much--damn it, it's hard to type. Will fix it as soon as I reach a writers block or something.

Moving on...!

* * *

Harry awoke and rubbed his blurry eyes. He looked over at Ron's bed and saw he was lazily stretching with a great yawn. Red hair sleep mussed, Ron blinked and looked over to Harry.

"Morning...!" Ron's voice called.

Pop!Pop!

"Morning!!"  
"Up and at 'em!!" Fred and George said.

Nearly immediately, as one, Fred and George turned to look at the third occupant of the bedroom, and both smiled evilly.

"I'm...staying out of it." Ron said. "Mum told you two..."

George glanced over at Harry, and raised an eyebrow.

"You two are just asking for it..." Harry said. "I'll stay over here..thanks.."

As Harry put on his glasses from the nightstand, the twins moved to either side of Ed's bed.

"Pshhh..could've hurt us a long time ago if he wanted to.."

"...come on 'Itty bitty Eddie'..wakey wakey.." Fred and George said.

Harry cringed at those words. Moments passed. Nothing happened. No movement. No furious yelling. Nothing. Harry blinked.

"Huh..um.." Ron said, "That's..odd...He'd usually be.."

"Hey..oh....he's already awake. Look. Eyes're.." Fred said.

Fred squatted by where Harry supposed Ed's face was, and pushed back the covers. Then removed them all together. Ed was curled up in a tight ball, laying on his side. Harry got out of bed and went to take a closer look.

"Ed..hey..wake up! Hey, come on..now!" George said.

George took hold of one of Ed's shoulders and gave him a shake. Ed laid on the bed, and if he felt the touch, he sure didn't respond to it. Harry stood right beside Fred, and looked to Ed's face. Ed's eyes were indeed open, and even occasionally blinked. They were they seemed to be that muddy brown he had seen the night before instead of usual gold.

'Like an inner light had just been put out or something..' Harry thought, and his stomach twisted sickly upon itself.

"Ed...?" Harry said. "uh..Ron..hurry..let's get someone..!"

"..for the record..we had NOTHING to do with this...!" George said.

"I'll get mum.." Fred said softly, with a frown on his face.

Pop!

"Maybe an 'ennervate' will work?!..or should I test out our latest creation on him??" George said.

"Maybe it's his arm..it was bleeding last night." Harry looked at Ed's folded arms...the left one looked to be firmly held with the metal right."Still holding it.." Harry reached for the arm, and found he couldn't move it from the clasping metal fingers of the right. "Can't get it loose..little help..?" Harry said.

"..Some grip he's got..wait.." George tapped his wand on the metal hand. "Alohomora!" The metal hand eased open. "..that did it, now..ewww..bloody...crusted over a bit.." George said, as he turned the forearm about. Right under where the metal hand had been was the circular wound, blood now brown and dry on Ed's long sleeved night clothes. Harry touched Ed's forehead.

"No fever." Harry said. "What coul.."

Pop!

"Mum's almost.."

"Ed..?" Mrs. Weasley said. "What happened..? What'd you two.."

"Nothing..we found him like.."

"It's true..swear." Ron said

Mrs. Weasley pushed George aside and took his place, easing to sit on the edge of Ed's bed. She then brushed aside Ed's unruly bangs from his face, and sighed a shaking sigh. Ed's face was as passive and expressionless as if it were carved in stone.

"mum?" George said.

"oooooh...He was like this last night, too. In that hall. Thought it was that blasted boggart. Should've worn OFF by now if it was...Maybe it's the burn?"

Mrs. Weasley gently eased up Ed's chin and tapped her wand to the bandage taped there. The bandage floated off obediently, and Mrs. Weasley looked the burn over, and frowned. After a few moments, she replaced the bandage and shook her head with a confused expression on her face.

"Mrs. Weasley..um...did he say..what that thing was?" Harry asked.

"Harry..you saw..?"

"I was there the entire time, remember..? At the doorway?"

"Snf..yes. Yes. I..um..only had him talk a little on it. The part that seemed least frightening..The boy..the one that yelled at him? He said..he said he was his brother..."

"..HE HAS A BROTHER..?!?" Ron exclaimed, and looked accusingly at Harry.

"He never..I mean I didn't.. I should've.." Harry stammered.

* * *

A hand that wasn't his own brushed through his hair. Slight rocking sensation, like he was on the train to back Resenbool. Only.

This was no dream, because he knew he was awake; much like he knew Al hated him. Al hated him with everthing his was. That fact was not going away..it was a fact nailed into what was left of his heart.

He felt that..THING... that heart...beating in his chest, though he knew it had been torn through by a real monster six months ago. He'd seen the gaping wound himself before he knew nothing more, then awoke later only find himself whole.

It was.

A gift.  
His life was a parting gift from Al; one that left him utterly. Alone and.

And. Al hated him. His life was given back to him because his brother hated him. That thunderous, traitorous beating thing in his chest told him he was still alive; further proof for Al's hate for him, forcing him to live on without...go on..

Wait. Al was at the Gate...?

But..wasn't Al beyond the Gate's reach by now...? Six long months of being unable to use Alchemy ensured that Al had to have..gone... beyond being retrievable...?

He loosed his loving grip on the sound of Al's voice--those damning words--and...with considerable regret, pushed it away. It was no longer Al's beloved voice..but it was so, achingly close. The act left him feeling a sort of empty cold inside...but he'd found the flaw. That flaw was devastating enough to tighten his chest into one great knot he couldn't begin to unravel.

He knew the truth, and began to unwind his focus....

He took a deep shaking breath...

"Alphonse..." he breathed out miserably.

"Shh...easy now...shhh.." Mrs. Weasley's voice. He blinked. Mrs. Weasley sat beside him on the bed, rubbing his back soothingly. He let the breath out as he looked around with his eyes. He was surrounded. Harry, Ron, Fred, George all stood around the bed looking down at him with concern all over their faces.

Mrs. Weasley's hand was at the base of his neck, rubbing soothing circles in the many knotted muscles around his vertibrae. Ed closed his eyes..far too tired after the long night to fight off the overly motherly woman.

"Shhh..."

"How is he..?" Remus called from the doorway. "Sirus told me.."

"Shh...just got back to us..." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly.

"vwaz?" Ed cracked his eyes open.

"You were in a daze, mate.." FredorGeorge said. Ed wasn't sure which one. "Your eyes were open, but you weren't there.."

"Shhh..." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly. "Easy now..."

"m..fine..." Ed said sleepily. "Jooz verzie dtiret."

"Ed...Who's Alphonse..?" Ed blinked. That was Harry's voice, speaking so softly Ed could have chosen to ignore it with the excuse he didn't hear the question. Instead, Ed opened his eyes and looked over at the boy with the lightening shaped scar on his forehead.

"Alphonse.. iz mine brodder."

"You..never told me you had..."

Ed looked away at this point, nearly turning his head into the pillow, and closed his eyes. He tried to tuck his knees closer to his chest, but Mrs. Weasley was in the way at the moment. He settled with tucking his metal hand under his left side instead, and folded the stinging left to his right. It was a very tight self hug that held his chest together.

"It's alright. You don't have to talk. Just..uh.. wanted to let you know breakfast is at the table if you feel up to it." Mrs. Weasley said in her soothing voice.

Ed nodded. "Maybee lator. Vrightz nauw..naat zo hungree."

"You sure you're alright, mate?" FredorGeorge said. Ed didn't bother to sort out which one.

"Yeah."

He supposed it was Mrs. Weasley that brushed a hand through his hair. Her weight on the bed shifted and she was gone. His blankets were soon replaced over him, and he tucked his knees to his chin. Soon, he drifted off into true sleep.

He awoke quickly when he felt a warm rough tongue gracing his earlobe. He jerked his head away from the weird sensation, and the purring patch of fur that gave it to him with a snort. He lifted his head and saw a bundle of dark fur below him on the floor. It looked vaguely like a dog of some sort.

"A dog..? They didn't have a dog did they? " Ed said in Amestrian, and sat up. He reached down and scratched the ears of the beast with his left.

Nature called. Which forced him to walk, to make use of the life Al had given him. While there in the bathroom, he looked at himself in the mirror. His golden eyes still had dark bags under them, but, he supposed, that was to be expected when you spent an entire night zoned out in thought. He rebraided his sleep mussed hair.

He noticed someone had cleaned of the blood on his left sleeve. He lifted the sleeve and the scar it covered, and blinked. A bandage was wrapped around his forearm, and after a few moments of picking at the tape with no success, decided it was probably stuck in much the same way as the tape at his neck. 'Magically' sealed against him being able to get at it.

He returned to the room to change. Dog and cat remained, and now both had taken residence on his bed in his absence.

"Ok, ok..I get the message. I'm up." Ed said in Amestrian as he closed the door.

He sat at the edge of the bed and, as he removed his shirt, he heard the dog whine. He turned and patted the thing on the head with his left while he grabbed a clean shirt with his right. The thing whined again when he changed into his pants. Ed ignored it then and began his daily isometic exercises with the rapt audience on the bed, hissing through his teeth at particularly difficult portions. He then took the repair kit from where he had placed it and fiddled with a few screws in his right wrist. He opened forearm plate, made his adjustments within, and oiled the parts that needed it.

There was a knock at the door about then. Ed looked up, and sighed. Not really wanting to show the mechanics of his arm to anyone, but deciding it couldn't be helped if he were to be stay here for any length of time.

"I am dressed." Ed called. "Come."

He heard the door squeak open as he set aside the oil, and began the process of closing up the forearm plate.

"So that's where Padfoot went to." Harry said.

"Yes..he seems to be liking my bed very much. Tell me. Vhat kind of dog is he?"

"Oh..um..he's special." Harry sat at the edge of the bed and scratched at the dog's ears. The dog's tail thumped happily against the covers.

"I see dhat." Ed said, and tighted down the last screw. He then replaced the kit, and completed some quick isometrics with the right arm. "Ah..much bettah. ..timing vas off just enuff to drive me nuts." He muttered to himself.

"So..are you..?"

"'m alvright, Harry."

"Can I ask..um...why...you didn't bother..."

"Vhy I did not tell you about Alphonse?" Ed looked at Harry and held his gaze steady. Harry swallowed, and nodded.

Ed nodded and looked down. He ruffed 'Padfoot's' ears with his left hand and sighed. Ed thought on what to say, and time passed in silence.

"Is it because you're... ashamed..or.. "

Ed looked at Harry.

"No! no. Never. Never ever. Al alvays make me..so proud." Ed said. "He and I..Ve...ARE..so close. Nearly like de twins." Ed looked up for a moment, then bit his lower lip. Ed looked back at Harry.

"But..um..Dis.. De last I saw him..ve were both fighting so hard for our lives...." He looked away from Harry, to the wall, the floor, anything. "I ..um .. got knocked out..and vas..um..left for dead..." Ed stopped moving at all and stared off, searching the peeling wallpaper for the right words. Ones that were close to the truth at least.

He didn't see that Padfoot got up. The big dog suddenly lunged, lifting his forepaws and knocked Ed to his backside on the ground.

"Gaah!"

Next he knew, Padfoot stood on his chest and earnestly licked his cheeks with his great wet sloppy tounge. Ed vainly attempted to hold the dog back with his left arm, but Padfoot wiggled around it easily enough. Ed was careful not to use his right against the friendly animal.

"Pftw!! Vhat IS it vith de big dogs and dem liking de knocking me ober? Pttw!!"

With a laugh, Harry pulled Padfoot away. Ed couldn't help but grin as the dog managed to half-drag Harry about as well as keeping himself pinned to the ground.

'Smart dog.' Ed thought, and got a nose full of dog slobber from the lolling tongue. "Ugh! uber Gross!! Dog flavored snot!! ARRGH!!!"

That began the rarest of things of rare things: Ed actually acted his age.

He wrested playfully with the dog and Harry both. Always careful not to use the automail on either one. This was not sparring, afterall, and Ed knew that Harry was not the most physical type. The rough housing they did there in the room made such a great racket, (Ed banged the wardrobe hard against the wall no less than five times righting his footing; Harry at least seven) that it wasn't long before Ed noticed they were being watched from the door with amused eyes. Hermione and Ginny were looking in from the doorway.

Pop!Pop!

Ed looked up from the ground to the eyes of the twins, who had appeared on either side of him, Padfoot on his chest, 'pinning' him once again. Harry had both hands on Padfoot's rump, trying to cleverly roll the beast to his back --somehow-- Ed supposed. As he watched, Ron poked his head around Ginny.

"This the guy you were so.."

"..Scared spitless of Ron..?" FredandGeorge said.

* * *

Harry was surprised that Ed decided to join them for dinner, considering he had been curled into that tight ball on the bed most of the day. Ed's eyes were no longer that disturbing muddy brown he had seen that morning, but they were also far from that blazing molten gold he had glimpsed in the drawing room.  
They did have more life in them at least, especially after the imprompteau wrestling with Padfoot.

Ed, picking at the food before him, was wearing a dark t-shirt, over which he had a light colored long sleeved button-up shirt he had grabbed after the twins had let them know dinner was served. No gloves were on his hands, which let Harry see the fake limb in use. Moving so naturally it was almost eerie; Harry had to constantly remind himself not to stare.

Sirius, as himself, entered the kitchen and joined them at the table. He grinned at Ed and nodded, then sat next to Harry as was his habit. Harry had to admit the Sirius made a such great dog; able to timely distract Ed from doing whatever it was that made his eyes go so dull and utterly lifeless. He was sure Ed would have gone into another staring trance had Padfoot NOT knocked him to the ground when he did. All because of the barest mentioning of what happened to his brother.

'Whatever happened, Ed hasn't managed to move past it.' Harry thought. 'like Cedric with me, I suppose.'

Harry thought of the graveyard, remembering Cedric falling, dead, right before his eyes. Just because Voldemort thought Cedric unworthy of living in the same world he clawed his way back to.

Harry remembered the great cauldron; the wound he recieved on his arm; the strange ritual he had been forced to both witness and take part in, tied as he was to a gravestone; and finally the red inhuman eyes of Voldemort himself as he pulled himself up from the black rim. Alive. Whole.

'And now, no one but my friends believe me Voldemort is back.' Harry thought, and rubbed his burning scar. Ed glanced at him from that movement, and Harry saw him frown slightly. 'I'm not sure Ed even knows just how dangerous Voldemort is.'

Hermione was chattering away about Hogwarts to Ron, and Ron changed it to be about Quiddich. Soon, a heated arguement with Ginny over the 'proper' use of bludgers and feints began. Harry listened half-smiling, looking forward to the new school year ahead. Then Hermione asked the question that made Harry blink.

"So..um. Ed..I wanted to ask you..uh..have you decided to join us? At Hogwarts?"

Ed swallowed and looked over at her.

"I..saw you had a welcome letter. Not that many people get one, you see and uh..."

"You...vread...my mail..?"

"Ran into it when we cleaned up there. Completely unintentional..I swear..honest..!"

Ed pushed back from the table, and stood up.

"Ed..? I'm sorry..I.."

"I am SCIENTIST, Hermione. Dhe whole idea of tings dhat cannot be explained.." Ed leaned on his fist on the table. "Magic..Vhy vhould I..?"

"To learn ABOUT it, of course...and you'd be with us..least I think..um..we're the nearly the same age.."

Ed took his plate and went to the kitchen, shaking his head slightly as he went. Harry could've sworn he heard him muttering in his language the entire way.

"Way to go, 'ione." Ron said to her. "Now he's gonna be testy with everyone again."

"Shut up." Hermione said, and folded her arms. "..Had to try at least."

"You just want someone in the library with you." Ron muttered.

"That was admirable Hermione." Lupin said.

I have to let you know that even Dumbledore himself tried." Sirius said. "I was there. Ed turned him down. I must say he seems a little less offended at the idea, though. So..maybe.." Sirius shrugged and forked a potato.

"Really?" Hermione said hopefully.

"Yes..he didn't leave dents in the table this time." Lupin said with a smile.

Harry raised his eyebrows. Then lifted his plate for a look. He glanced across and saw the twins, and even Ron, doing the same.

Ed spent the remainder of the night sorting through his papers, notes, and books. He allowed Hermione, Harry and Ron to assist, but Harry didn't think they were much help at all. By the time Hermione was ushered off to bed by , they had at least gone through most of the books. The subjects ranged from chemistry and physics, to things that Harry hadn't even heard of, (Except, of course that 'Al-khimia' book that Ed had said he purchased from an old book store for the fun of it.) There were a great variety of languages represented as well.

When it was nearly time for lights out, Ed grabbed a great stack of his papers and a bunch of the notebooks, and piled them both together.

"I vill be vorking on dhese in de drawing vroom..."

"Ed..you don't.." Harry said.

Ed held up his metal hand.

"I have to keep vorking." Ed said softly.

With that, he shifted the now huge stack of papers and notebooks so that they balanced on his arm and were held in place under his chin. Then walked out the bedroom door. Mrs. Weasley arrived soon enough, and Harry and Ron had to explain where Ed went. She nodded, and frowned, then urged them both to remain in bed as she shut the door.

Harry smiled as he settled himself into his bed...nearly single week remained until he could return to Hogwarts. The mystery that was Ed paled in comparison to that happy occasion in his mind.

* * *

Ed sat on the floor in the bright moonlight, his notebooks and papers spead all about him. He half wondered why he bothered with the task at all. He knew what most of the notebooks contained: dead ends.

The theory side was sound; the notebooks' various equations that proved that. It was just far from being practical. Now he had his use of Alchemy back, this work, which represented 6 long months of solid calculations, a long shot to begin with at best at the time he started, seemed just so..pointless. He picked his way through them anyway, determined to finish what he started on the off chance the work would prove useful. Somehow.

He had his hand on the last of them, when the door opened behind him. He looked over his shoulder.

"Wocher, Ed." Tonks said, holding the door open with one leg. He saw she had someone's arm over her shoulder, and she was struggling with the weight. Ed blinked, and stood, intending to lend her a hand.

"Look..um..You need to be clearing out here..." Tonks began.

"No..it's alright..I think he knows about it already." Remus voice sounding very rough and low.

"You sure?"

Ed saw some head movement, and went to grab Remus's other arm.

"vhat's vrong..you look..awful."

"It's that..ah..something, you said I was mixed--ow!! ahh!!" Remus, nearly folding himself in half as they moved him into the room. Remus pushed Ed to the side and went to lean heavily against the wall. Ed looked back and saw Sirius closing the door silently behind him. Ed saw his eyes looked worried as he looked to Remus, then to himself. Ed blinked, and looked back to Remus as he slid to the floor, eased there by Tonks. Ed could clearly see him in the moonlight. And that he was changing, obviously painfully, to something else. Remus did not call out; he clenched his teeth instead.

"Chimera." Ed whispered in Amestrian.

"It's alright. He's on wolfsbane potion..so he should keep his mind." Sirius said from behind him. Ed tilted his head. "He just couldn't make it to his usual safehouse tonight."

"vWolfzbane potion? Safehouse..? " Ed looked over to Sirius.

"The potion he takes helps a great deal." Tonks said softly, reaching out to Remus' now fur covered arm.

"Vas?" Ed watched as Remus's form shifted. In moments, where Remus had previously been, was now a rather large wolf, laying spralled on the ground panting. Yellow eyes. Round snout. And a tufted tail.

Ed squatted down where he was, and looked the creature over carefully like he would an array. "Amazing. Dhere vas onzy vone..um, i do not have vord ..dhat I know of dhat could do a complete animal reversion...de form vas not as lovely as dis. "

"'Lovely'? That's the first positive description I've heard for a werewolf." Sirius chuckled.

"Verevolf." Ed snorted. "Vright. Next you'll tell me vampires and geists are vreal, too. Remus, you alvright?"

Tonks squatted down beside the wolf and stroked it's furry back. The wolf struggled then stood, and shook itself all over as only a canine could. The yellow eyes met Ed's..and he saw that they looked incredibly human. The tail even wagged a bit.

"He's fine." Tonks said.

"Dhat looked painful. Can he change back?" Ed said.

"No. Not until morning. Or moonset." Sirius said. " Whichever comes first."

"So dhis vhasn't..he did not vant to change?" Ed said.

"Werewolves usually don't." Sirius said.

"Dhat..makes no sense to me." Ed said.

"It's just how werewolves are. They change at the full moon whether they like it or not." Sirius said.

"How can..vait..did de vone vho did dhis to him do somting to his head or someting? I researched someting on de making of dhese..TSHH." Ed punched the floor with his fist.".. hate English vords!!..."

"Remus became a werewolf when he was a child the usual way. He got bit by one." Tonks said.

"Bit. You BECOME dhis..vith a bite." Ed deadpanned. "Dhat. Iz such. Bullshit."

"YOU. Have a lot to learn." Sirius said. "And yes. Vampires and ghosts are real too. There's a ghost that teaches history at Hogwarts, in fact."

Ed sat back, and blinked. He tilted his head and looked the wolf over again.

"Maybe dhey made virus or bacteria..? But dhat vould be take so much energie to do...have to be so precise..and vouldn't eben hold dhat long..Messy too..kill too many to make stable if it ever vas..." Ed said, and shook his head and closed his eyes. "I..do not vant to tink aboutz it. Makes me sick to dhink somevone vould do dhis to odher people."

"No one's asking you to." Sirius said, and patted his shoulder. "Don't even..."

"You vant him cured, yes?" Ed looked to Sirius, then to Tonks. "De dhing done to him reversed?"

"Of course I do..!! He's a dear friend." Sirius said. "Just...People have been searching for a cure for werewolves for centuries. One more searching will be welcome, but.."

Ed nodded.

"I make no promises. I DO have much I need to learn. And much I need to be doing."

Ed held out his left hand to Remus the wolf. Remus sniffed it, and gave the palm a small lick.

"I grew up avround many fox. I..Dhat means..um..friend?"

The tail wagged a little more.

"Goot.." Ed snorted. "VEREVOLF or vhatever. Teeth hurt."

Ed then bent back to his task of sorting, unconcerned with those in the room. Wolf laying nearby. Tonks and Sirius keeping him company, but neither were much help. This was one thing he had to do on his own..most of the writing was in Amestrian, and he really doubted anyone in the house could read it. Once he was finished, he gathered the papers together once more. He turned, meaning to speak to Sirius, only to find a large black dog where the man had been, curled up and sleeping next to the wolf. Ed blinked, then looked to the remaining person in the room.

Tonks looked over at him from where she sat. Hair now bright pink in color.

"Is dhere some vay for me to get into contact vith dis..Dumbledore? I need to..make use..of dis 'magic' school of his..." Saying the word 'magic' still made his nose wrinkle in disgust.


	24. Diagon Alley

A/N: Thanks again to those who read an review..!! I really Enjoy hearing what people think..I am quite aware that I am NOT the best writer out there. Blink blink.

AAAALLLLLLL ED!!! It was the only way to handle it. Really. I find it pedestrian, but necessary. Enjoy!

* * *

Several days later, a handsome brown feathered owl swooped in from the open window far above the stairwell just as Ed stepped onto the stairs.

"Oh...Ed! From Hogwarts!" Hermione said, nearly dancing in place in her excitement. Ed held his mouth in a grim line and stomped down the stairs one deliberate step at a time. Once at the landing, he took the letter from her outstretched hand and held it by the edges like it was a thing to be disgusted by. He broke the seal, and opened it. It read:

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,Fmr. Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Elric,

I am delighted to hear of your decision to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. I have recently had the unexpected delight to examine your handiwork for myself at the Ministry of Magic and I found it impressive indeed. Because of the lateness of the hour, I am arranging for your placement assessments to by held with the individual professors at the school the day after you are duly sorted into your house.

I am recommending recently appointed Prefects Hermione Granger or Ron Weasley to accompany you to Diagon Alley in your effort to procure supplies.

Enclosed is a list of books that may assist you in your endeavours here, as well as various other items that will surely to prove helpful in most class subjects.

Sincerely.

Albus Dumbledore.

Ed swallowed, then took out the list. His eyes rested on the several items that made his stomach turn:

Cauldron, size 2.

Wand.  
4 Robes.

He looked up to Hermione's excited, expectant face, then to Harry and Ron, both of whom had just came down the stairs behind him. He frowned slightly.

"Bad news?" Harry said, looking at Ed's grim expression.

"Ye--no..I.. am going." Before the end of Ed's carefully pronounced "g", Hermione shreeked with glee. Ed cringed and held a hand against his ear.

"IknewitIknewit!!"

The letter and list duly got passed about, and they headed to the basement for lunch. There, it passed to the twins, and Ginny, and finally Mrs. Weasley as she finished up Ed's treatment to the front of his neck. This time, she did not replace the bandage.

"Looks good, lets try it without it.." Mrs. Weasley mumbled, and she looked down to the paper and raised her eyebrows. "I thought you were a Muggle, Ed..?"

Ed shrugged.

"I tell you dhat is vhat I am. Dhis Dumbledore vants me at dhis school anyvay."

"Well..let's make a day of it, then...Ron, Hermione..We'll head out in the morning."

"The books..they're from first year to seventh..." Hermione said. "We have first through fifth already, you can borrow those if you'd like instead of buying them.."

Ed looked over at Hermione.

"I vould like to see vhat I am getting myself into...but..vhat do you get out of letting me.."

Hermione blushed under Ed's golden gaze. Ed's face scrunched up in confusion. Ron frowned, and his eyebrows creased together.

"Um..You'd better borrow the books from me, instead." Harry said, and Ed quickly looked over at him, then shook his head.

"Dhis is about equivalence. You have done too much for me alvready, Harry...Same vith you, Ron, Hermione..." Ed said, and when he saw the confused glances passed between those at the table, added. "I cannot ask for such dhings without giving someting in return."

"Nonsense.." Mrs. Weasley said..

"No." Ed insisted. "You offer me knowledge..hmm. Perhaps knowledge in return vill be equivalent..."

"No offense, mate, but those books of yours're way..too out there..for me." Ron said. "No way am I touching those."

Ed smirked.

"Dhat does not surprise me." Ed said. "But..I had someting else in mind. How about I show you katas?"

"Some..What?"

"It's a...Muggle ting. It vould be eazier to show, dhan tell." Ed said crypically, and rubbed his chin in thought "Vwe vwould need room, and maybe someplace soft for dhe showing. I have not seen a place like dhat here in dhis house. Maybe a park is nearby?"

"Um..no. Not that I know of." Mrs Weasley said. "Also, Harry can't go out of here without several..uh..escorts.."

"How about you show us at Hogwarts during a free period?" Hermione said quickly. "There're plenty of park-like places there..and Harry's safe there."

Ed nodded.

"It is agreed dhen. Katas for dhe use of books." Ed looked over to the twins. "I'll eben show you two.. vRon vill likely pound dhe snot out of you vwith dhem if I don't, I dhink..."

The twins exchanged a glance and grinned evilly.

"Um..what about me?" Ginny said.

"I do owe you. Yes. I vill show you dhem."

"'Pound the snot..'? Hold on. Just what IS this..Muggle thing you intend to show my children?" Mrs. Weasley said. "Is it dangerous..?"

"Not unless dhey chose to use it vrong. Dhey vill have to face me dhen, and take dhe beating I vill be giving. I vill NOT be pulling my punches." Ed said as he watched the twins with a stony expression. He noticed the look didn't faze the twin's exuberance at all.

* * *

After Ed had his blindfold removed, they had opted to take a taxi to this place. Ed paid the fare, though he had not slightest idea where this 'Diagon Alley' was. Ron and Hermione provided the cabbie the directions, but he was beginning to have serious doubts about their sense of direction.

Ed stood in the middle of the sidewalk, bright morning sun shining on the busy street, trying to see just what Hermione and Ron insisted was in plain view. Something about a tavern.

"Mouldee Kaultron?" Ed muttered, and scratched the back of his head as he searched for the a fore mentioned hanging sign.

His long golden hair was pulled back in a ponytail today. Though it was already a warm day, he wore a dark, long sleeved shirt, carefully buttoned up to his neck; a dark vest, long black pants; and heavy black boots. A long chain stretched from a front belt loop to a watch carefully placed in a front pant pocket, and white gloves graced both hands.

He had no telltale white bandage on the front of his neck for the first time in weeks, but the burn there was an ungodly mix of red and a deep purple-blue in the rough shape of a thin hand. It still itched like mad, but he was ignoring it successfully. Fortunately, the collar of his shirt covered most of it.

With a frustrated growl, Hermione grabbed his arm and nearly dragged him across the street. Ron following sullenly right behind.

There were a number of small shops all around them, but they stopped at what looked like small section of brick wall. Ed turned about to find that sign they mentioned, and was about to recross the street when Ron caught his arm and pulled him back. He found they were facing some old window with peeling paint about the siding, and he suddenly found he had to find a privy, (though he didn't need to actually use it)--he turned about once more, intent on doing just that. Hermione firmly grasped his other arm, and turned him back to the window with her mouth set in a determined line. She nodded over at Ron, and he, too, firmed up his grip.

"You really ARE a Muggle.." Hermione said with gritted teeth, and though he felt compelled to turn around yet again--this time to get a bite to eat, (though he wasn't quite THAT hungry, yet)--Ron and Hermione weren't having it. They held their grip firm, and forcibly marched him through what turned out to be a door. He knew this because, once he was within said tavern, he looked behind him as it closed.

"What the shit..?" Ed muttered in Amestrian, and looked about him.

There were moving pictures plastered upon the walls, dark empty booths along the walls. Before him was a bar, with a number of people sitting on stools, quietly nursing drinks even at this early hour. He'd seen that look on their faces numerous times before; it was one of defeat and sorrow. The bartender, a rather stooping, balding figure of a man, looked right at him, and frowned. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Can I help you?" The barkeep said.

"Just passing through!" Hermione said in an overly cheerful manner, and hooked her arm through his. (Ron had let go abruptly of the other as soon as he was inside.) Ed smiled widely and gave his own wave to the man with his right as Hermione walked him behind the bar. They exited the door and entered what looked like a small courtyard.

"Sorry..in a bit of a rush." Ron said over his shoulder as he joined them.

Hermione reached into a pocket and took out her wand. Ed watched as she looked at the brick wall before them rather intently, then tapped the wand on a specific brick.

"Three up..two across.." she whispered. As Ed watched, the wall appeared to deconstruct sloppily, and in extremely slow motion, revealing a rather cheerful and busy shopping district behind it. There were quite a few people and children rushing about in robes, some wearing pointy hats. Most had bags floating behind them, others were accompanied by the creatures Ed knew were called 'House Elves' that carried the burden for them.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley. First thing..we need to change your Muggle money to Wizard."

"You vreally have separate currency?"

"Yes. I'll explain how it works as we go..."

"Funny. Jon plans to set up a currency system just for dhis dhing he calls 'internets'. Says it'll catch on. And here dhis is..vright under his nose..."

"Intern Nets?" Ron said

Ed shrugged.

"I vreally have no idea vhat it is, Ron. It's..um.. vone of Jon's dhings he does."

Ed looked about as they headed towards a large imposing building at the end of the alley. There were numerous small shops lining the narrow street. One in particular caught his eye..just for the numerous books on display in the window. He made a mental note to visit it as Hermione chattered away about "Galleons", "Sickles", and "Knuts". Ed figured he'd be fine trying to manage it..it wasn't the first time he'd had to adjust to a foreign currency system.

Ed noticed another alley jutted just beyond the great white building enblazoned with the word "Gringotts", and stopped a moment to look.

"Oh..that's Knockturn Alley..we won't need to go there." Hermione said.

"Vwhy not?..I can see more shops down dhere."

"Just..trust us. You don't need anything from any of them. It's real creepy." Ron said.

Ed snorted.

They entered Gringotts through a set of great bronze doors, and passed through a smaller set of silver. Then Ed saw them, working behind the long counter like bank tellers, and raised his eyebrows. They were certainly shorter than he was, but had great bulbous heads, dark beady eyes, long pointed ears, and long digits on each hand attached to stubby arms. They were far too consistent in form to be what Ed's mind immediately identified them as. He swallowed, and realised he had paused his movements when Hermione looked back at him, concern on her face.

"I know. Goblins..." Ed said softly when he met her brown eyes with his golden gaze.

They approached the counter, and Ed fingered his chain through long habit, then withdrew his wallet from his back pocket and removed the 'Muggle' money. The goblin..whose name tag read "Griphook" dully took the offered paper bills and, in a rather efficient manner, slid back to him a great pile of gold coins. Ed nodded his thanks to the creature, finding himself impressed by its professionalism. The creature looked at him with an odd expression on its face that Ed couldn't read.

Then came the shopping..Ed turned to his task with a grim expression on his face. He saw Hermione and Ron exchange a look, then Ron smiled and led Ed to a stall that displayed many colorful packages.

'Candy' Ed thought, and smirked. 'Has to be.'

He was a bit grossed out by the "Every Flavor Jelly Bean" package Ron had convinced him to try. He wrinkled his nose at the thought but decided to brave his way through anyway.

Ed bit into a white one, and immediately spit it out.

"Whach'rekk'n..vomit?" He heard Ron snicker, chomping on his own package of the things. He too, spit one out, grimmace on his face.

"No..MILK.." Ed said, venomously. "Evil liquid. From cow, yeech!! I felt de stuff flow down my troat..!" He spat bile on the ground.

"You should have chosen something else, Ed." Hermione said.

"Vhat fun vould dhat be?" Ed smirked. "I need to see dhis..magic..for myself, vright?" Wrinkling his nose at the word.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and unwrapped her chocolate frog.

As the stall was in front of "Slug and Jiggers Apothecary", they went in there next. The bad smell aside, Ed looked about the place in wonder. The sheer wierdness and variety of things for sale..from 'beetle eyes' to more ordinary herbs..

"You gotta be kidding me.." Ed said in a low voice to Ron and Hermione, pointing at what looked like snake scales to him, but was clearly labeled as 'maticore'. "Dhat HAS to be snake scales..."

"Um..Actually.... We only need a scale from here." Hermione said. "The measuring kind."

Looking at the scales, the majority of which were made of what looked like brass, and consisted of a pair of precariously balanced cups, Ed shook his head.

"Maybe I should borrow Jon's..vway more precise dhan any of dhese vwill be..."

"Does it run on electricity?" Ron said.

"Um..tink so.."

"Then it's..not going to work out so well. There's no electicity at the school at all."

Raising an eyebrow at the news, Ed made his selection and they went on.

He lingered in the bookstore, called 'Flourish & Blotts', long after he had collected the books for the 6th and 7th year, and wandered back to the dustiest section of the place. He chuckled at the Divination section as he walked past, and shook his head at silliness of the titles.

To his surprise, there were indeed some books that covered his favorite subject in the store. He was picking his way through them, skimming through their contents with practiced ease. When Hermione and Ron found him, he had amassed a significant pile of 'discards' at his feet.

"Anything good...?" Hermione said, and she attempted to read the title of the thick tome's dust covered jacket.

Ed shrugged, and smirked.

"I like dusty books best. But not dhis vone..." He closed it with a snap and looked at the shelf for the next selection.

"We've been here for hours..." Ron whined.

"I vwould love to be spending days here." Ed said. "So many to go trew..."

"Ed..uh..We really should get your wand and robes before the stores close." Hermione said.

"I..vait..vhat time is it?"

"Nearly 3.." Ron said, and sat on stool next to the Divination table. Ed's stomach grumbled loudly, and he sighed. He then collected the school books and headed for the counter.

Ron and Hermione waited outside the door of 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions', but he still absolutely refused to undress for measuring in the robe shop. The shop attendants looked at him with confused eyes, certain the problem was only about 'modesty', Ed supposed. He was the only customer in the shop.

Ed looked at the robes about him and thought that they couldn't be all THAT hard to transmute for himself.

'Not that I WANT to wear a dress' Ed thought with a frown.

"If you can not manage to get my measurings vright vwith my clothes on, I'll just see about going someplace else."

The shop attendants muttered something Ed couldn't understand to themselves and, with great reluctance, measured him with his clothes on..He had been half expecting them to call him short, but overheard nothing that suggested it.

Told to come back in about an hour, Ed walked outside to join his companions.

"Right..Now..that leaves just the wand." Hermione said brightly. "Should be plenty of time left for that."

Ed scowled, and picked up his bags. They soon arrived at a rather run down looking shop with a single purple pillow on display in a dark dusty window. Ed looked in and saw that upon the pillow rested..a wand. The sign above the door read "Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC." in peeling gold letters. Ed let out a breath, and looked to Ron and Hermione.

"Uh..you have to go it alone, mate." Ron said. "It's..uh..how it's done."

Ed released his bags, and scratched the back of his head. His stomach growled louder, and he cringed inwardly at the embarrassing sound.

"Fine. No provlem." Ed said. "Iz just stoopid stick anyvay."

He opened the narrow shabby door, and entered alone.

* * *

The place was just as dark as the window suggested it was. Ed looked around slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the gloom. In a few moments, he could see the walls around him were actually shelves, upon which small narrow boxes were crammed in such a was as to appear like a solid wall, reaching right up to the ceiling. There was a thin layer dust covering everything, and the place seemed to be empty.

He could make out a single chair in the corner before him, a ladder to the side..and a shop counter beneath what looked to be stairs.

"Can I help you?" A voice called out, sounding very far back.

"Uh..yeah..I came to buy a vwand." Ed called out, and he turned to the many many stacks of boxes against the wall. He reached out to one, and jiggled it free. Just as he was about to open the box, the voice called out..

"I wouldn't do that."

Ed looked over his shoulder and saw a wrinkled face framed with white hair. The eyes were what held his attention, for they were wide, and so pale, they resembled a pair of moons.

"Dhen how am I to.."

"It is the wand that chooses the wizard, Mister..?"

"Elric. Edvard Elric. And you are?"

"At your service, Mr. Elric. I will need to take your measurements for a proper fitting. Could you hold out your wand arm for me?"

"Which arm vould dhat be?" Ed said, brows knitted in confusion.

"Ah..this is to be your first wand then? That would be your dominate hand." The man bent down behind the counter and emerged with what looked to be a tape measure.

"I am being ambidextrous."

"The hand you write the most with then, if you please."

Ed held out his left arm, and the man began his measuring. The length, width, of his arm, fingers, fingernails..shoulders..face..nose..So many parts of him were measured, that Ed almost didn't notice when the man turned away to reach for a narrow box on the wall. Ed both flinched back and sneezed when the tape measure moved of its own accord and measured the space between his nostrils.

'Blood seal on a TAPE measure?' Ed thought as he watched it continue on with its measuring, defying gravity to do so.

"Give this a good swish.' The moon eyed man handed him the wand from the box. Ed grabbed then end, and was about to do just that, when the man snatched it quickly out of his grasp.

"No..not right." Another wand was handed to him. And Ed tried again, only to have it snatched away again. This happened over and over, and each time the man's mouth seemed to twitch into first a smirk. Then a smile. Ed's arm was getting tired and he was getting irritated, beginning to wonder it this was some sort of joke.

"Ah..most difficult. Try this." Another wand..this one from behind the counter. Ed gave it a swish, and it disintegrated like sand through his fingers. Ed blinked, and another wand was shoved at him. He had that one above his head when it exploded at the tip, shards just nicking him. He brought his arm down, and handed the remains to the shopkeeper. To his surprise, the man grinned madly. And handed him yet another wand. It exploded violently nearly as soon as he touched it.

"Tsst!" Ed grimmaced and looked at his now shredded glove. He saw very little blood, and he judged his wounds as shallow. Another wand blocked his view, and he looked to the shopkeeper with raised eyebrows.

"Once more..Mr. Elric..then we try your other arm."

Ed nodded, turned his face away, just in case, and took a hold of the wand base. He raised it...began the arc of decent...and it too, exploded in his hand. He shook the hand out and worked his fingers. The skin on his palm felt scorched, and his white glove was but a tattered memory.

The man then went to Ed's right, directing the tape measure with a wave of his hand. As soon as he touched it with his hand, his moon-like eyes widened.

"Extraordinary. Not a natural limb at all..." The man breathed, and Ed jerked his arm away. "Apologies..may I ask who made it for you?"

"A friend." Ed said.

"It's proportions are perfect for your body size. And the way it moves ...May I look as I measure?"

Ed swallowed, and glanced to the window. He saw the shadows of Hermione and Ron standing against the dusty glass, as well as those of people passing by.

"This will be entirely confidential..I assure you. If I am to fit you properly, Mr. Elric, I need to be sure of the measurements."

Ed sighed, and with great reluctance, removed his remaining glove, unbuttoned the cuff of the shirtsleeve, and pushed the fabric up the false limb.

"Mugglemade..." The man breathed as he measured the metal fingers one by one. "Such workmanship..I had no idea Muggles could do such things."

"Yeah. She's dhe best at making dhese." Ed said softly, feeling a bit like a freak on display.

"All right..lets try again."

Ed was handed wand after wand. Explosions occurred on nearly every one this time; nearly because the man snatched away a few before they could go. The explosions seemed to be getting larger and larger with each wand he was handed. And still, the man's grin widened. He seemed nearly estatic instead of highly upset like Ed expected him to be with the destruction of his wares.

"What a difficult match." Came the man's excited? whisper from behind the counter as he vanished from Ed's view. He soon emerged with a narrow box, covered in a thicker than usual layer of dust. This wand, clearly ancient if Ed were to judge, he removed with near reverance, holding it out on the tips of his forefingers. Ed grimmaced, and reached for it. His right hand was mere inches away when he felt the hum of an active array in his chest. Blue energy arched from his fingertips, struck the wand, and before Ed could think, the wand deconstructed.

'Second step of Alchemy..I didn't..' Ed thought, and withdrew his hand.

"Curious... very curious... " The man said, meeting Ed's gaze with his own.

"Vwas?" Ed said.

"You seem to have a..very heavy.. way about you, Mr Elric..I can see now that the usual materials will not do. I'm afraid I do not have a suitable wand on hand that will fit you."

Ed blinked, and his eyebrows met. He then busied himself by replacing his glove over his false hand, and rebuttoning the cuff.

"Give me a year..yes...a year. That should do. A year to make a wand that may accept you. Of course..I cannot promise it will choose you, but give me the chance to rise to this challenge."

Ed looked at the moon-eyed man, and frowned. Then nodded slightly.

"A year." Ed said.

"In the meantime, I believe I have a kadigan that you may use. I'll be right back." The man shuffled and disappeared down the hall behind the counter. Ed checked his sleeve, making sure no chrome showed; He wondered briefly what a 'kadigan' was, and looked about him at the amount of destruction that littered the tiny shop.

There were small fires still burning here and there on the floor, one burning merrily on the counter, shards of polished wood all over, and scorch marks covered the narrow boxes that lined the walls.

'Mustang, eat your heart out.' Ed thought.

In moments, the moon-eyed man returned, and held out another wand. Ed raised his eyebrows.

"There isn't a core in this one, Mr. Elric. It isn't even wood. Carved ivory, in fact. It may look like a wand, but it is, in fact, not a wand at all."

Ed took the wand, and even waved it a bit. No explosion. No reaction. It was simply an object that behaved as he expected it to. He closed his eyes and focused inward to look at its structure.

'Mostly calcium...he wasn't lying.' Ed thought. He waved his left over it..'No arrays, either.'

"One year, Mr. Elric."

Ed nodded, and tucked the 'wand' into his vest. When he opened the door, he was surprised it was already dark.


	25. Enroute

A/N: Another Ed centric chapter...again, there just wasn't another way. Had to post before it got waaaaaay too long. Sort like crocheting...you really can go on and on and on... I'm looking forward to torturing Ed..bwhaha..Next chapter is gonna be fuunnn!!!

* * *

Ed, Hermione, and Ron were still arguing days later.

"He said to come back in a year..." Ed said "Dhat's all I can say about it. I don't know a ting about dhese sticks."

"But..That makes no sense. How're you supposed to do the course work?" Hermione said. "You need a wand to even.."

"I had a broken wand my first year, 'member? Maybe it won't be so bad.." Ron said.

Ed shrugged and adjusted his knapsack on his back. Being a seasoned traveler, he had left the majority of his personal things over at the Black house, including his spares. The bag contained only his clothes, school books, and a few other items he felt he couldn't do without. Once he was past what he could tell were steps of some sort, the blindfold over his eyes was untied, and he glimpsed the balding Mr. Weasley as he clapped a hand on his left shoulder.

His companions, in comparison, had huge trunks, animal cages, and various other pieces of luggage to cart around. There was a considerable struggle in trying to lift one trunk in particular at the moment to scuttle it along. The twins and Ginny were just arriving with a cart that would ease the ungangly thing's passing, a familiar looking 'porter' with mismatched eyes pushed the thing along: Alaster.

Harry was to go ahead of them with Mrs. Weasley and Tonks. Ed had no trouble spotting Tonks in disguise..she just HAD to wear that ridiculous purple hat on her head. She was in the form of an old woman, with tight gray curls and rather plump body. The mannerisms were all Tonks, especially the clumsy gait of her walk. He glimpsed a large, black, and familiar looking dog loping off from behind him, and raised an eyebrow. He saw that Harry nearly immediately went to the beast. Ed glanced behind him, and saw a brick wall; The stairs he knew he had just stepped down from were no longer there.

"It's the same as with the Leaky Cauldron." Hermione said to him, and he glanced over at her.

"You mean I von't be able to see it?" Ed said, disgruntled.

"Something like that." Hermione said.

Ed nodded, and kicked at a rock on the sidewalk.

After a few moments, Mr. Weasley eased up to his side.

"So..uh, Ed. I was wondering if you could answer something for me, being as you're a Muggle and all. Uh.."

Ed narrowed his golden eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

"How DO airplanes stay up?" Mr. Weasley said. "I've always wanted to know."

"I could provide you de basic physical formulas and dheories.."

"Ah. um..physical formulas..?"

"Yes.. it has to do vwith the portions of the vwing length to the body divided by..."

"um..Ed..I think you lost him." Hermione said. "He only knows about 'magic' terms..."

"Vas..?"

"You're speaking another language. Math is not something he understands." Hermione hissed in his ear.

They began their rushing walk to the train station, as they were a bit late. Ed blinked, mind buzzing, trying and coming up blank with an answer for the man that he would understand. He hurried his steps to catch up with the rather glassy eyed Mr. Weasley.

"..Honestly, Mr. Vweasley, I vreally..uh.. don't know..any more than I know how my own ports vwork." Ed chuckled. "You vwould have to ask someone who is a..a pilot, or maybe somevone who makes dhe dhings. Dhey are called 'engineers'. If you find vone, make sure to ask dhem to explain in..um..plain simple English.. or you vwill be ending up hearing vwhat is called 'technobabble'."

"Tech no babble?"

"Like. Uh..Magic vwords for..um.." Ed said, with a grin. "Not all Muggles, just certain kinds."

"REAL-ly!?" Mr. Weasley blinked in surprise, a wry smile on his face.

"Ed! Stop over here.." Hermione said. Ed looked up to see that she had stopped the hurried walk, and was standing before a brick wall, set within an arch, between platforms 9 and 10.

"Clear. ok ..go" Ron said.

Hermione hooked her arm through Ed's right, and before he could react..She stepped THROUGH the wall, taking him with her. He stumbled, recovered his steps and shook his head. Then, he noticed the smell; it was not of musty damp walls of the underground train station but of fresh green grass and smoke, and he lifted his gaze. Before him stood Harry, Mrs. Weasley, the black dog, and a boy with dreadlocks. Behind them was a train. Not one of the sleek ones he had gotten used to seeing since his arrival, but one much more..familiar to him. He breathed in the sooty steam, and grinned somewhere between a smirk and frown in spite of himself.

'It even has a caulk car behind the engine.' Ed thought as he looked at it.

The warning whistle sounded, and Ed glanced to Hermione and Ron on either side of him.

"Quick, quick...be good..take care. Write.." Mrs. Weasley, being the motherly type, hugged each of them as she pushed them off towards the train. Ed stiffened by instinct when her arms wrapped around him, but he managed to return the hug with a light tap of his left hand at her back. He then boarded the train along with Hermione and Ron. The train jerked into motion within moments, and Harry poked his head out the window and waved wildly at the departing figures of Tonks, Remus, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and 'Al'. Ed heard laughing, and he looked about for the source, only to find a number of kids crammed at the windows looking down at something.

Hermione turned and said worriedly, "He shouldn't have come with us."

"Oh..lighten up. He hasn't seen daylight in months." Ron said.

"Well..I suppose we should find a compartment." Harry said with a grin.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance.

"Um..well..Ron and I have to go to the Prefect car.." Hermione said, as Ron examined his fingernails.

Harry's grin faded.

"We..um..I don't think we have to stay there the entire journey..I mean.." Hermione stammered.

"Right..um..Well. I'll see you sometime, I suppose." Harry said, and then glanced at Ed as if suddenly remembering he existed.

Ed shifted his knapsack, and pointedly glanced to Harry's trunk and owl cage. Then he looked at Harry, smirked, and grabbed a handle of the trunk with his gloved right. Then with a exaggerated sigh...

"Iz Fate vworse dhan death. I am being no vhere near as fun as dhose two, but you a stuck vwith me now, mine friend. "

Harry looked down and had such a sheepish expression on his face that Ed chuckled. Harry grabbed the handle of the owl's cage and his end of the trunk, and, with a quick glance back to Ed that included a slight grin, picked up his end of the trunk. Ed lifted his end and they shuffled their way down the narrow hall. Ed noticed that they were getting quite a few stares as they passed by the already filled up compartments, and he half wondered if his shirt collar had somehow slipped to show his automail shiny port, or even the noticeably greenish-yellow remains of the ugly burn at his neck.

They finally found a compartment with but one person in it. Harry stopped to talk to a round faced boy who held a struggling fat toad in a one handed grip and a truck handle in another.

"Hi Harry. Can't find a seat...They're all full."

"oh....This one only has Loony Lovegood in it." Ed looked over his shoulder at that voice, surprised that Ginny had followed them down the corridor.

The boy mumbled something, and examined his shoes.

"Don't be silly..she's all right." Ginny said, and shimmied past Ed and Harry to open the compartment door. Ed backed in..being the only way him him to enter while holding Harry's trunk handle, and Harry backed in after him with reluctance painted all over his features. Ed eased his end of the trunk down, slipped his knapsack off to a bench with a satisfying 'thunk!', and then looked to the who Ginny had called 'Looney Lovegood' as he worked blood back into his left arm. He saw the girl with long blond hair sitting by a window..reading a magazine--with moving pictures!--upside down. And she looked so very very familiar. His breath caught in his throat.

'Winry..' He thought.

Before he realised it, his backside was on the carpet.

Harry, the boy, and Ginny piled their trunks in the luggage compartment, not noticing Ed was on the floor at all. The girl, on the other hand, large blue eyes the color of corn-flowers, looked at him over her magazine and stared and stared and stared. Harry sat across from her and she shifted her gaze. Ed swallowed, and began to pick himself up off the floor. He was careful not to look at the Lovegood girl, knowing he couldn't keep a certain expression off his face no matter how hard he schooled himself.

"You're Harry Potter.." Her airy voice said. " And..I don't know who you are."

'-Not Winry. She never..ever..sounds like that..' Ed thought, and faced away, squeezed his eyes shut tight.

"Oh. I'm nobody." The boy said.

"Like hell you're not..Luna, this is Neville Longbottom." Ginny said. "And that..over there..hey..Ed? You ok?"

Ed swallowed and opened his eyes again, then looked back, and gave a slight nod to Ginny. Harry looked at him, green eyes behind round glasses full of concern. Ed knew he had to look at the girl, this LUNA. And make it look like she was the complete stranger she both was, and wasn't.

"Ed?" Harry's voice.

"I'm alvright Harry." Ed met the staring blue eyes of the girl again, but not before he noticed a strange look from Harry first.

"I don't believe I know you." The girl said airly.

"This is Edward Elric. He's new to...Hogwarts this year. Don't know what year he'll end up in, though. He's going to get placed by the professors first, after being sorted." Harry said. "Ed, this is Neville, and Luna."

"That's rather unusual of them to do." Luna said. "You really should sit over here, Edward. That seat seems to be infested with Nargles." Luna then raised her upside down magazine and covered her face. Ed looked over to Harry and mouthed 'Nargles?' with a single raised eyebrow, not recalling reading about anything in that 'Magical beasts' book that sounded like the word. Harry shrugged and jerked his chin for him to join them. With great reluctance, Ed did so. He settled across from Harry, next to the Luna girl, sitting just-so, hoping he wouldn't have to face her all too familiar features without being prepared.

* * *

Ed soon learned that "magical beasts" were not the only thing to be wary of. Neville produced a cactus-looking plant that was a gift from his great-uncle, one that puked manure streams all over the compartment when provoked with a quill. Ed got blasted full in the face with the stuff, and had nearly gotten its chemical makeup puzzled out enough to deconstruct when Ginny said, "Scourify".

He had his nose wrinkled in disgust, half-convinced he could still smell the stuff, when the food cart rolled by. Harry offered to buy him something, and Ed hesitated.

"I'll owe you too much, Harry." Ed shook his head.

"Nonsense. This is what friends are for." Harry insisted. "Besides, I want to congratulate you."

"Vwhat's dhat supposed to mean?"

Harry just smiled, and turned to the cart..uh..witch, Ed supposed... to order up a bunch of candies. Ed was far too disgusted to again attempt the "Every Flavor Jelly Bean" just yet, but snorted in amusement when Harry handed him the package, along with a few of what he called "chocolate frogs".

"Ron told me you actually got through one package without puking." Harry smiled."That's an accomplishment, as far as I'm concerned. 'Ear wax' did it for me. Yuck!"

Ed shuddered and made a face at the thought.

"Milk's bad 'nuff." Ed said. "Naaaz-teeee."

He placed the jelly beans into his vest pocket and unwrapped a chocolate frog, then was surprised that there was a card at the bottom of the package with a moving picture. He tilted his head as he looked at a pair sparkling blue eyes behind moon-shaped glasses that sat upon a broken nose.

"Who'd you get?" Neville said softly.

"uh..Dumbledore. I tink." Ed said, blinking.

"Already have ten of those. Harry?"

"Paracelsus. Again."

Ed looked at Harry a moment.

"Can I see dhat vone?"

Harry shrugged and handed it over. Ed looked intently at the moving picture. The face was.. all wrong. Cheekbones too low. Chin too weak. Hair, a curly black. Only the eyes were the same. A bright, intense, untarnished gold. The date born said 1492. There was no death date. Full name: Auroleus Phillipus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. He swallowed, grimmaced slightly, then handed the card back. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Still no used to moving pickures." Ed said in explanation, and shrugged. Harry nodded, but he kept his green eyes glued to Ed's gold until Ed leaned back into the corner. Ed finished up his chocolate frog in about two bites, idly looking down ever so often at the card in the wrapper with Dumbledore's twinkling eyes.

"So..you're Muggle born?" Neville asked brightly.

Ed looked at Nelville and took a breath.

"You..might say that." Harry said with a smile before he could answer the boy. Ed shot Harry a dirty look, and exhaled through his nose.

"Vhat? I ..." Ed said impatiently.

Harry mouthed "Later". Ed wrinkled his nose. He then divided off the remainder of his chocolate frogs to Neville and Ginny, and..Luna. (He was careful not to meet her eyes.) He smirked at their happy faces, and soon, lulled from long habit, Ed looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by. Hermione and Ron came in within an hour, and he nodded to them in greeting. He listened as they explained their new duties as 'Prefects'. The whole thing just seemed so--childish. He leaned his face into his right palm to cover the smirk, and feigned that he was about to doze off.

"Anything good in there?" Ron said.

"Of course not..The Quibber's rubbish..everyone knows that.." Hermione said

Ed was glad he had his eyes closed when Luna lost her temper.

"Excuse me? My father's the editor!" Luna said.

'..she..her voice.. so Winry-like when she's angry...' Ed thought.

The compartment door slid open with a bang, and Ed cracked his eyes open in annoyance.

"What?" Harry said aggressively, head turned to a pointy faced boy with white-blond hair, flanked by two of what Ed classified in his brain as 'goons'.

"Manners, Potter. Or I'll have to give you a detention." Ed raised a single eyebrow, and rolled his eyes. "You see, I, unlike you.."

"...Are annoying me." Ed said loudly.

The pointy faced boy shifted his attention. Ed also saw Harry turn back in his direction, eye wide in surprise.

"Well, well. A new face..." The boy drawled. "..can't say I approve of the company you're...."

"Dhey are vay better company dhan being near certain vones vho have power-of-god-complex." Ed said in a low growl, interrupting the drawl from the boy. The boy narrowed his gray eyes. Ed leveled his golden gaze, not even bothering to scowl; The boy blinked within moments. "In fact, I am thinking vhatever you are having to say is not vorth me hearing." Ed added, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Who ARE you, anyway?"

"Vhat vill you give me if I choose to tell you, boy-child?"

"What? Boy child..?" The pointy faced boy scowled. "Potter..Tell me who this lit.."

"No way." Harry interrupted, shook his head.

"Nelville..?"

"Leave Nelville out of it, Malfoy." Hermione said, voice sounding exasperated. "His name is Edward Elric, he's new this year."

"I didn't ask you, Mudblood." Ed narrowed his eyes at the venom in the word. Golden eyes steady, he stood up. Harry held an arm out and blocked him. Ed noted the boy towered over him by at least a foot. The 2 goons a half foot over that.

'No problem.' Ed thought.

"You are..." Ed said quietly, raising a single eyebrow.

"Draco. Draco Malfoy. Pref.."

"Prefect for de Slidhering house." Ed said, his upper lip curling back in disgust and pointedly glancing at the towering goons standing behind Draco. "Not impressed." Ed folded his arms.

"Well. Watch yourself, Potter. I'll be dogging your footsteps in case.."

"Shut it." Ed snapped. "Get out." Hermione said, and stood.

Draco Malfoy snickered, and backed out of the compartment. Hermione slammed the door behind him with bang! Ed looked at Hermione and then to Harry. Both of their faces looked deeply worried to him, and he frowned, and sat back down.

"Too bad you don't speak Amestrian, my friend." Ed said softly, in Amestrian. " ..then you'd be able to tell me what about Sirius you are so worried over."

Hermione and Harry both looked at him, recognising only one word of what he said, he supposed.

"What language is that..?" Luna said dreamily. "German..? or..French?"

Ed carefully arranged his face and looked to Luna. " Is..like to German, and French. And few odhers. It is being Amestrian."

"Amestrian." Luna said in her dreamy voice, as if chewing on the word. "I believe I have never heard of such a language."

"Big vworld." Ed said, and looked out the window. "Is..language dhat very few speak..."

* * *

Ed was jostled awake by Harry as the train pulled up to its stop. Ed couldn't see a thing outside, it was so dark. He got up and retrieved his knapsack from where he'd stashed it and followed the crowd off the train. Harry stopped ahead of him, and was looking around. Ed heard the voice of a woman calling, "First years..first years, come with me please."

He saw it belonged to a woman with a sever hair cut, carrying a lantern.

"You probably should get going Ed." Harry said, watching her, voice sounding a little disappointed.

Ed shook his head.

"I..don't think I'm supposed to go vwith dhem. I am.. never..dhat young." Ed watched the children poked and pushed each other along. Most were nearly as tall as he was, and his mood went decidedly south because of it. Harry shrugged, a followed the crowd. Ed followed him. Soon, they reached a muddy track of dirt that passed itself off as a road. Lined up along it were some dark carriages, and Ed saw a number of students climbing into them.

What really caught his eye, though, were the creatures hitched up to them. They were horse-like. Dark in color. Bones protruded through thin skin, and Ed could see what looked like bat wings folded neatly along their back. Though they were far too consistent in form, and none of them looked to be in any pain, Ed couldn't help himself.

"Chimeras.." Ed whispered in Amestrian. He walked up to one and he reached out his right hand to its reptilian nose. The creature snorted like a horse at him, and stamped it's foot. Ed patted the neck with his left, a glanced at the milky white eye.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Ron said.

"Right there. Between the shafts." Harry said.

"Can't you them?" Harry said worriedly.

"Dhese dhings? Yes, vhy?" Ed looked over his shoulder and saw that Harry had Ron pointed right at the creature.

"See what?" Ron said. "They're pulled by nothing, like always."

Ed looked over at Harry and met his eyes.

"What do you see, Ed?"  
"um..a chimera" Ed said in Amestrian.

"A mix of a horse..reptile..some odher things.." Ed said in English. "It looks like it needs food. I don't know how it is still standing."

Harry looked a bit relieved. Ron's face screwed up in confusion.

"It's alright." Luna's airy voice drifted to them from behind the carriage. "I can see them too."

"Ed..I don't know where you're supposed to go." Hermione said from the carriage. "It's your first year, but..um.."

"I tink it vwill be vorked out vonce I get dhere." Ed said, and stepped away from the horse-chimera. "I did make my choice late."

"There's so much you'll miss out on, though..First years go by boat..see the whole castle.." Hermione said, then sighed and looked down. "Come on. Let's get a carriage together before they all fill up." Hermione climbed into the carriage. Ed climbed in behind her, and offered her a smirk.

"Is alvright. Travel by vater..iz not so goot idea. For me." Ed said as she took her seat across from him.

"What? You don't.."

Ed frowned and looked sharply at her, and even raised his gloved right hand a little. She noticed the small gesture, and nodded slowly, eyes wide and mouth set in a "o". Ron, Harry, and finally, Luna, settled in soon after, and then with a creak of wooden wheels, they were on their way.

* * *

The carriages stopped at some stone steps, and Ed was the last to step out of the carriage. He looked about him and finally to the steps that the crowd was busy ascending. He looked up to the top, to where they lead and scratched the back of his head.

"Hey..you coming or what?" Ron called. Ed glanced over to the voice, and saw that Ron was standing beside Harry.

"Yeah." Harry said, with a last longing look at something in the distance. It was dark out, so Ed had no idea what he was looking for.

'Lights?' Ed thought. 'Maybe that Hagrid they were talking about?'

Ed looked again towards the top of the stairs. "Ed? What's wrong."

"Dhis vreally a school?" Ed said, with a frown.

"Wait. You can't..?" Harry said. "But.." Harry turned back to the horse things pulling the carriages, and looked straight at one. Ed looked at him, and snorted.

"It's ok. I get it." Ed said as he approached the horse-thing. He patted it on the haunch with his gloved left, and adjusted his knapsack on his back.

"What?" Ron said, and turned.

"He..can't see the castle, Ron." Harry said, soft enough that it could only reach Ed's and Ron's ears. Ron raised his eyebrows.

"I never..I mean I knew..but.." Ron stammered. "Those.. explosions at Ollivander's..I thought for sure.."

Ed approached the steps, and looked back over to Harry and Ron. Both had looks of pity on their faces, and Ed scowled in response.

"Come." Ed said, turned, and joined the crowd on the stairs. Once his right foot touched the ancient stone, he felt several impulses flood his mind at once. He closed his golden eyes.

Find a bush FAR AWAY to use as a privy..and he didn't need to go. Find food, anywhere but here--NOW!!! Turn back and try to find a way around to get bearings--because he was soooo obviously lost--Who would want to stay in some ruins anyway?!?

'Just like at that Tavern.' Ed thought. He breathed in deeply, and let the breath out slow. Then, he turned his considerable will to task of simply reaching the top of the stairs, wrapping his mind around the task as though it were an array. Focused now, Ed opened his eyes.

TURN AWAY..this is no place for you. LOOK!! A distraction! Go chase it. RUN!! HIDE!! There are wolves here!! SEE the BONES?!?

Halfway up, the assault of unwelcome impulses hammered him even more, and he stumbled when he misjudged a stone step with his left foot. He felt someone grab his left elbow and he jerked it away. He began reciting the periodical table of the elements under his breath like a mantra, and shot a glare at the offender who dared touch him. It was Harry, green eyes wide beneath the round glasses. Ed turned back to his task, and took another step.

"Ed.." Harry said softly.

"Have two. Goot legs..I vill. Use dhem." Ed growled before he could say anything, and took another step. Sweat dripped down his forehead and ran down his cheeks, and he rolled the sensations away from his awareness.

"..there must be a charm or something..." Ron's voice mumbled from behind him. "..To help I mean.."

Another step. And another.

JUMP!! You'll be much safer than up there!! Run!! Find the SHINY!! It's over there!!

Three steps to go. Two..then one. He was at the landing, standing before the threshold of the remains of a large, decrepit, burnt and blasted door. It's remains hung open on huge ruined, rusty hinges. Beyond it, Ed saw the interior of a large and luxurious hall lit by torches. Hermione, Luna, and even Ginny had stopped just inside and looked at him now, and the crowd flowed right by them. He saw the Malfoy boy glance at him and give him a dirty look, flanked by the two goons. He felt a hand on his left shoulder. Ed jerked it away again and stepped inside the castle.

He nearly fell over when the impulses suddenly stopped. He stood uneasily on two wobbling legs, blinking in the unexpected relief. Hermione rushed forward, and he held up his left hand, fingers wide as he blinked and looked about. He heard cheerful shouts and footsteps echoing in the large hall. Smelled the stink his own sweat. He eased back his focus, and wrinkled his nose as a sweat drop dribbled down from his forehead. It tickled just enough that he had to sneeze into his arm.

"So dhis is Hogvarts." Ed said and looked back at Harry and Ron with a smirk. Harry chuckled.

"Uh..I just found out you WERE supposed to go with the first years, Ed, but.." Hermione said. "uh.. Professor McGonagall sent me to get you for the sorting. You're to go last, so no harm done. I think there's still time for you to wash up a bit."

Ed nodded, and with a wave to Harry and Ron, let Hermione lead him to where he needed to go.

* * *

Ed recognised Professor Mcgonagall from the house. She was a severe looking woman, dressed in black robes and a pointy hat like he remembered witches were supposed to dress from kids' books, and on her nose rest a the same pair of square glasses. She was carrying a wooden stool, upon which sat a ratty, patched, and ripped pointy hat. She glanced at him, and her eyebrows lowered.

"Mr. Elric, I was informed you were told to dress properly for the occasion."

Ed looked down at himself. He was wearing dress dark slacks, and shiny dress shoes. His pocket watch chain was shiny for once, since he did take the time to clean it, and it hung properly from the belt loop in front to the front pocket where he had placed the watch. He had a gray vest over a long sleeved, crisp white shirt, and of course, his white gloves. He refused to wear a tie..instead, he had buttoned up the shirt at far as it would go, so that it would cover the remains of the burn on his neck. His automail was covered. Maybe it was his hair she was upset about? That.. he had just pulled back into a ponytail, unruly bangs--still as unruly as ever. He HAD just looked in the mirror..he didn't think he looked that bad.

"Am dressed nice. Vhat?"


	26. That damned uniform!

A/N: Again..had to end it before it just got waaaaay to loong. This is just too fun:D

* * *

"Mr. Elric, I was informed you were told to dress properly for the occasion."

Ed looked down at himself. He was wearing dress dark slacks, and shiny dress shoes. His pocket watch chain was shiny for once, since he did take the time to clean it, and it hung properly from the belt loop in front to the front pocket where he had placed the watch. He had a grey vest over a long sleeved, crisp white shirt, and of course, his white gloves. He refused to wear a tie..instead, he had buttoned up the shirt at far as it would go, so that it would cover the remains of the burn on his neck. His automail was covered. Maybe it was his hair she was upset about? That.. he had just pulled back into a ponytail, unruly bangs--still as unruly as ever. He HAD just looked in the mirror..he didn't think he looked that bad.

"Am dressed nice. Vhat?"

Professor McGonagall made a clucking noise in her throat, and she put the wooden stool down for but a moment. She turned, waved her wand. Ed widened his eyes as the hum barely tickled in his chest--then he noticed the sleeves of his arms were now covered by an additional dark material. He looked down, and scowled.

"Dammit" Ed said in Amestrian.

He was now wearing the same robe as everyone else. He pushed up one dark sleeve. His original clothes were still beneath.

'No equivalent exchange.' Ed thought.

"Come, children. This way." Professor McGonagall quipped as she once again took up her burden, not even looking in Ed's direction enough for him to really give her a stare down. Two great doors opened before her, and she entered an even bigger hall than they were currently in, lit up in soft candlelight. The children lined up, and one by one they filed in behind her.

As he knew he was to be the last one in, Ed took the time to look around. The hall that they were to enter had four long tables running the length of it, about which sat the other students. Above each, he could see banners -- showing him each table had their own colors, and symbols. Above that, was and wasn't, the sky. Ed knew for certain that he shouldn't be able to see the ceiling through stars, no matter how high up it was.

Just ahead, and a little above, them was another long table, running along the width of the hall, about which, Ed supposed, sat the professors. He watched as Professor McGonagall placed the stool down, and turned about. The general din of the hall quietened to a hush of expectation. Then, the tattered hat on the chair, using the large rip near the brim as a mouth, began to..sing.

Ed sighed, and rolled his eyes.

'Blood seal on a HAT of all things.. What next?' Ed thought. He folded his arms and leaned his shoulder against the doorjam.

He watched. One by one, names were called. And one by one, those in the line stepped up to the table. Once there, they sat upon the stool, usually looking very nervous or fearful, and had the hat placed upon their heads by Professor McGonagall. It was the hat that called out one of four things: Slytherin!, Hufflepuff!, Gryffindor!, or Ravenclaw!. The child in question then took off the hat and replaced it upon the stool for the next. Then rushed off to one of the long tables with the banners overhead.

Nice. Neat. Orderly.

Ed narrowed his eyes. He could see Severus Snape at the table ahead. Dumbledore as well..mostly because he sat to the side of the stool in the only high backed chair. He didn't recognise the others at the table. And there was this one in pink cardigan sweater..looked to be a woman. Ed cocked his head.

'She looks familiar. Where did I see..?' Ed thought.

"And finally...Elric...Edward!"

Ed blinked, then shoved himself off the jam and walked at a leisurely pace towards the stool. All eyes were on him, and not all were friendly. He was feeling particularly stupid-- mostly because of the robe he was being forced to wear. He saw the pink sweater woman turn abruptly about and glare at him as though he were a piece of dung. She rather resembled a toad overall, especially when she frowned--like she was doing right now.

"Headmaster, not that I wish to question your judgement in these matters.." The woman said in a little girl voice. "...the Ministry was under the impression that this.. ah, Mr. Elric..is in fact a Muggle. "

Her voice carried far in the Great Hall, and there were many many whispers coming from the long tables. Their tone surprised, shocked. And from the green and silver one, outraged.

'Ministry?' Ed thought.

Ed stopped walking down the aisle, and kept his eyes on the pink toad-woman as she rose from her seat. He could see a wand was in her hand already. He was but a few meters from the raised area that the stool was on, and two long tables were to his right, and left -- the literal middle of the hall.

"Shall I save us all the trouble, and simply obliviate him now?"

Ed raised a single eyebrow, easily reading her movements. He adjusted his stance, deceptively relaxed, but ready. The pink toad woman smiled a sickenly sweet smile and walked over to where Dumbledore sat; Ed never broke his gaze. She turned towards him, and, as she raised her wand, Ed felt the hum of an active array in his chest.  
He clapped his hands together with a hasty, balanced array shining in his mind. The warming energy flowing throughout his body.

Dumbledore quickly held up a hand before Ed let the energy flow. The pink monstrosity glanced towards the movement, and raised her eyebrows.

Golden eyes narrowed, Ed eased himself into a guarded position instead, fully in his fight stance, right hand leading.

"I assure you that Mr. Elric is indeed more than qualified to be attending Hogwarts. As I'm sure you're aware, all Professors will have the opportunity ..as soon as tomorrow, if you wish ...to place him in their classes as they deem appropriate." Dumbledore said. His voice, too, carried throughout the hall, and the whispers quietened a little --down to a kind of buzz.

The pink woman lowered her wand and stepped to the side of the stool. The hum of an active array did not go away, and Ed flicked his eyes to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stood from his gawdy high-backed gold chair, looked at Ed with his twinkling blue eyes, and gestured to the stool. Ed could see the movement from the corner of his eyes as he watched the pink-toad woman carefully. Her beady eyes finally met his.

"You done..?" Ed said in a low growl, and she narrowed her eyes.

"Delores... if you please." Dumbledore said in the most polite tone.

The pink-toad scowled, for just a moment. Then the sickenly sweet smile reappeared on her face. She tucked her wand into her pocket, and with a final look of disgust aimed at Ed, walked back to her seat at the table with her head held high. Ed watched her the entire way. The hum in his chest faded once she completely sat down. Only then did he lower his hands to his sides. Ed clearly saw Severus curl back his upper lip in disgust as well, as he was seated just across from her; It wasn't long before his usual sneer-mask replaced it.

"Mr. Elric?" Dumbledore said.

Ed glanced to Dumbledore, then with last look at the pink monstrosity, climbed to the stool. Once he was seated, he faced the crowd of students, and saw the excited faces on most of them that accompanied the increased din of whispering.

Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head, and the brim sank down to nearly his neck, immediately blocking his vision.

'Super tall freaks of nature..'Ed thought. 'Even HATS are too big..'

"oh..my.." Said a small voice in his ear.

Ed startled.

"Who are you..?" Ed said in Amestrian, instantly suspicious as he actually FELT the thing rummaging though his mind.

"Such potential in here. What a fine, sharp mind you have. Such cunning, too. Bravery. Indeed, plenty of that. And you are no stranger to toil and effort..."

Ed hooked the edges of the hat with his thumbs and was about to toss it as far from him as he could when..

"oh..no. no. That won't do. Don't do that. How am I to sort you if you close yourself up like that? "

"It's MY mind." Ed said in Amestrian."You may be a soul bonded to a HAT of all things, but you have no right to..."

"You know THAT about me? My my..I can see you do. It's been centuries since anyone...Ravenclaw herself didn't even know. Please, Mr. Elric. I mean no harm, this is simply how its done. It is my role. I must match the attributes of each person to one of four houses."

Ed reluctantly lowered his arms.

"Vwell? I'm listening..."

"It's..ah..difficult. You've cunning enough that will fit nicely within Slytherin. I fear now that they know you to be Muggle-born, however, you'll never get along with most there."

Ed snorted.

"Your mind. So sharp. And such knowledge is packed within. Even I can't sort it all out. Ravenclaw would be proud to have you."

Ed nodded, not really caring.

"Your bravery..just astounds me..to face..THAT..."

Ed saw a brief flash of the Gate, and his hands instantly tightened into fists.

".. not only once, but multiple times..and from such a young age...and still be SANE...Gryffindor would be a good placement."

Ed forced his hands to relax. "Don't DO that vwithout varning me first." Ed said in a low voice. "Especially ..DHAT."

"Oh..terribly sorry..uh..Then there's the sheer effort you put into..well..everything. The simple task of walking, for instance, for you is..tsk..Hufflepuff would love you as well...I am having great difficulty deciding."

"Vwait..YOU..are to make decisions about my life FOR me?" Ed said. "No. No VAY am I.."

"It IS my role. You must be placed in a house while you are here. It is to be where you sleep, your family while.."

Ed had a briefest flash of Alphonse, soul and mind, flow through his head, and he bit his lower lip.

"..uh..sorry about that...I didn't mean..That was entirely accidental, I assure you..."

"Shut it." Ed said bitterly. "...Family, huh?"

"..that's the general idea..."

Ed thought of the past six months..of the people he'd been with..the only ones who were here at Hogwarts that were anywhere close to being somewhat like..

-GRIFFINDOR!!

"Vwha?!? VHO DO YOU TINK YOU..!!"

Ed heard loud cheering and quite a few boos. The pounding din of feet and hands on wooden tables. He lifted the hat off his head, and looked around bewildered. Hat held in both hands, he scowled at it --he could have sworn it winked at him as Professor Mcgonagall took it from him. He wrinkled his nose. He looked at each of the banners, then looked for the familiar faces of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He found them under the banner that looked sort of like a lion --if you squinted and were drunk at the time. Table colors of orange and red.

Ed sighed. He hooked a finger under the robe at his neck and shifted the collar with a grimmace on his face. Then he picked up a sleeve.

"oh..Screw it." Ed said.

He stood up holding that same sleeve and finally let the energy flow. Blue lightening arched down his arm to his fingertips, and the hated robe deconstructed to something like ash that fell in a puffy cloud to the raised stage-like area. He then stalked over to the table-- the place he was ASSIGNED to now by the damned stupid hat.

Harry and Ron smiled widely and made room for him, and he sat between them. Ron slapped a hand on his back, then immediately shook it when he found he'd hit Ed's right port instead of his flesh and bone. Harry laughed and beat the ash-like material off his left shoulder. Hermione looked at him with raised eyebrows and an open mouth.

"Hate uniforms." Ed muttered, and shrugged.

The roaring din suddenly died down and Ed looked up. He saw most were turned to the raised table now behind him, and he glanced as well. Dumbledore was at the podium, the front of which was shaped into a sort of bird with outstretched wings.

"To our newcomers, welcome. To our old hands..welcome back. There is a time for speech making, but this is not it! Tuck in!." Dumbledore said, with outstretched arms, and a wide grin.

Ed turned his head back, and startled. Upon the table before him were all sorts of platters and trays filled with all manner of delicious smelling food. His mouth watering, he followed Harry's and Ron's example, and began filling his own plate. He glanced at Ron's overfilled mouth, and smirked. He glimpsed Hermione crinkle her nose when she looked at him as well.

Ed ate and ate. He had no idea what most of it was, so he tried a little of everything as it was there before him. The orange juice-- that wasn't-- was..interesting. He sipped it trying to figure out what it was. Harry looked at him with raised eyebrows, and Ron snorted at him when he looked at his face. He set it aside after a while and tried "yellow juice with the fizz on top", which tasted so much better.

As he finally reached the point where he was feeling pleasantly full, the din started to die down, and he vaguely wondered what he would have to pay for the meal he just enjoyed. Before he could begin find out, Dumbledore stood up once more at the bird podium.

"Well now that we are digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to students--and a few of our older students ought to know that as well--" Hermione, Ron and Harry shared a grin. Ed noted that with a raised eyebrow.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me for what he says is the four hundred and sixty-second time , to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."

"We have two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the--"

Dumbledore stopped and looked over as a small, little girly "Hem hem" came forth from pink monstrosity. Ed saw she was standing, and facing them as though she were about to make a speech of her own. Ed scowled, and leaned his chin onto his left fist on the table.

"Thank you, Headmaster." Professor Umbridge, the pink monstrosity herself, simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Ed didn't bother to listen to her speak at all, and far preferring to draw circles and simple arrays on the table before him with the sweat of his cold drink and his gloved finger. He was even tempted to activate one just to see if the amplifying runes would work in such a faint medium. He noticed he was not the only one not paying that much attention as the hall soon filled with the chattering of gossip and snippets of conversations. Not to mention giggles. He heard Dumbledore's voice and looked over his shoulder, finger hovering just outside the containment circle made of water.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her, "Now, as I was saying, Quiddich tryouts will be held.."

"Yes..that was illuminating." Hermione said in a low voice.

"You're not telling me you enjoyed that?" Ron said, eyes looking glazed over to Ed. "That was the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy."

Ed snorted in amusement.

"I said illuminating, not enjoyable." Hermione said. "It explained alot."

"Did it?" Harry said in surprise. "It sounded like a lot of waffle to me."

"There was some important stuff in the waffle." Hermione said grimly.

"Was there?" Ron said blankly.

"How about 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?"

"She said dhat?" Ed said.

"Well, what does it mean?" Ron said impatiently.

"I'll tell you what it means.." Hermione said ominously. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

"Great.." Ed said. "Vwonderful... "

There was a great lot of noise, and Ed saw that most of the students were now getting up from the tables. Hermione looked about in alarm.

"Ron!..We're supposed to show the first years where to go.."

"Oh yeah!' Ron said. "Hey..Hey you lot! Mid--ow!"

Ed punched Ron hard on his shoulder on reflex with his left, and glared at him in annoyance. Ron looked down at him and rubbed his arm.

"Ron!" Hermione gasped.

"Well they are! They're titchy..!"

"Tell me..vwhat is 'titchy'?" Ed said, golden eyes narrowed. Ron frowned, and got up from the table. Quickly. Moving out of range Ed's immediate reach.

"I know, but you can't call them 'midgets'...First years..over here..!" Hermione called out. "This way, please..!"

A group of children soon walked up, and Ed was annoyed that they were indeed mostly the same height as he was. He glowered and grumbled, but nonetheless followed Hermione and Ron as they provided the tour of the Griffindor tower.

* * *

Harry looked up as Ron and Ed entered the dormitory. Harry was kneeling on his bed, wand pointed at Seamus, Seamus had his fists raised.

"What's going on?"

"He's having a go at my mother!" Seamus yelled.

"What?" Ron said. "Harry wouldn't do that! we met your mother, we liked her."

"That's before everyone started believing every word the stinking 'Daily Prophet' writes about ME!" Harry said at the top of his voice.

"Oh.." Ron said, comprehension dawning on his face. "Oh..right.."

Ed looked at both, and walked between them to the empty bed, his green knapsack already on top. Saying not a word, he began to unpack.

"You know what?" Seamus said heatedly. "He's right. I don't want to share a dormitory with him anymore, he's a madman."

"That's out of order, Seamus," said Ron, whose ears were starting to glow red, always a danger sign.

"Out of order, am I?" shouted Seamus, who in contrast to Ron was turning paler. "You believe all the rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who, do you, you reckon he's telling the truth?"

"Yeah, I do!" said Ron angrily.  
"Then you're mad too." Seamus said in disgust.

"Yeah? Well unfortunately for you, pal, I'm also a prefect." said Ron, jabbing himself in the chest with a finger."So unless you want detention, watch your mouth."

Ron glared from Seamus, then looked at Dean and Neville.

"Anyone else's parents got a problem with Harry?" he said aggressively.

"My parents are Muggle mate." Dean said, shrugging. "They don't know nothing about no deaths at Hogwarts, because I'm not stupid enought to tell them."

"You don't know my mother, she'll weasel anything out of anyone!" Seamus said. "Anyway, your parents don't get the Dailey Prophet, they don't know our headmaster's been sacked from the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards because he'd losing his marbles--"

"My gran says that's rubbish." piped Neville. "She says it's the Daily Prophet that's going downhill, not Dumbledore. She's cancelled our subscription. We believe Harry." He said simply. He climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to his chin, looking owlishly over them at Seamus. "My gran's always said You-Know-Who would come back one day. She says if Dumbledore says he's back, he's back."

Harry felt a rush of gratitude towards Neville. No one else said anything. Seamus pulled his bed curtains closed. Dean laid back and looked the ceiling. Neville gazed fondly at his moonlit cactus. Ron began bustling about, putting his things away.

Then Harry noticed Ed silently looking at first Seamus, then Dean. Then Neville. The strangest look on his face as he sat on the edge of the four post bed. It was a nameless expression that made his eyes look so...old. He hadn't changed from his all-covering outfit just yet.

"What.?" Harry said, certain Ed would attack him much like he had just experienced from Seamus.

He looked at Harry.

"Just..dhinking. Of vhat dhat stoopid hat said to me."Ed said.

"What did it say?" Ron said as he sat his bed.

"Vas about.." Ed said. "um..nevermind. Iz stoopid."

"Go on..you brought it up." Ron said.

"Who are dhese two?" Ed said, pointing with his chin. "I alvready know Neville. Dhat..cactus vas.."

"Disgusting?" Harry said with a smile.

Ed smirked at Neville, then glanced to the cactus.

"..fun...also. Didn't know a plant could do dhat."

"Uh..thanks." Neville said, with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh..This is Seamus..that's Dean." Said, Neville. Ed nodded his greetings to each. "Welcome to Griffindor, Edward."

"Call me Ed."

Then Ed yawned hugely. Harry watched as he backed onto his bed and closed the curtains, completely obscuring himself from view. Moments later, a potion of his bare left hand became visible beneath them, where his boots met the floor with a thump! They were soon covered with his discarded clothes.

Ron soon extinguished the candles. It was only then that Harry realised Ed didn't answer Ron at all.

* * *

Ed was up and dressed before Harry even opened his bleary eyes in the morning. Long sleeves and gloves on both hands, he was currently doing some sort of exercises with first one arm then the other. Seamus jumped out of his bed, dressed at top speed, and before Harry even pulled on his socks, was out the door.

"Does he think he'll turn into a nutter if he stays in the same room with me for too long or something?" Harry said in irritation.  
Ed thunked one leg up on the wall and continued with his exercises. Harry noticed he had socks on instead of his boots.

'Must be his fake leg.' Harry thought.

"Don't worry about it, Harry...." Dean said."..he's just.." Dean looked over at Ed and threw his bookbag onto his back. He tilted his head as Ed stretched his arms to the ground, but moved only his leg on the wall--hissing through gritted teeth as he did so. "You all right there, mate?"

"Fine." Ed said. "..just..uh.. vreal flabby."

Ed got up and placed the other leg on the wall and repeated the exercise.

"Vwent almost a month vithout doing dhese...Can't be helped..tssst."

Dean skewed up his eyebrows, then walked out the door. By the time Harry and Ron were dressed and ready with their own book bags, Ed grabbed just a notebook, and after pocketing his pocket watch and hooking the chain to a belt loop, walked out with them to the common room. Halfway across they were joined by Hermione.

"Oh..Ed! Honestly. You really need to wear the robe..!"

Ed made a rude sound.

"uh.. Anyway..what's up Harry?" Hermione said. "You look really angry at something."

"Seamus reckons Harry's lying about You-Know-Who," Ron said, when Harry didn't respond.

Hermione sighed.

"Yes, Lavender thinks so, too." She said gloomly.

"Been having a nice little chat with her about whether or not I'm a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?" Harry said loudly.

"No." Hermione said calmly. "I told her to keep her big fat mouth shut about you. And it would be quite nice if you stopped jumping down Ron's and my throats, Harry, because if you haven't noticed, we're on your side."

They had reached the stairs, and Ed turned about with widened eyes to watch when stairs moved, and Harry grinned at his facial expression -- the child-like wonder of it ecliped the look Ed had in his eyes the previous night.

"Um..Dhat You-Know-Who guy you keep talking about..is it dhat 'Moldy-shorts' guy?" Ed said, still watching the stairs, this time with his head cocked a bit to the side.

Harry raised his eyebrows, and blinked. He heard gasps from both Ron and Hermione. It was fortunate that the hall was relatively clear, because of Hermione soon erupted with decidedly nervous laughter. Ed glanced back with a grin on his face.

"I have many questions." Ed said calmly. "Like vhy do people dhink..no, HOPE.. you and dhat Dumbledore are lying..?"

"It's..a long story. You..uh.. already know what he did to my parents." Harry said. "They weren't the only ones."

Ed nodded, and watched as a bunch of Ravenclaws below them all looked up, eyes full of curiosity at Ed, then Harry saw them look directly at him, and suddenly they grouped tightly together on their way to the Great Hall.

"Dumbledore said to work together...You know what he said About You-Know-Who last year?" Hermione said, as they all headed down the stairs.  
Ron and Harry looked at her blankly.

"He said, 'His gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust--'"

"How do you remember stuff like that?" Ron said, looking at her in admiration.

"I listen, Ron." Hermione said with a touch of asperity.

"So do I but.." Ron said.

"The point is..we have to stand together. This sort of thing is exactly what he was warning us about. The hat, too. We have to work together..."

"And Harry said it last night. If it means getting matey with the Slytherin, fat chance." Ron spat.

* * *

They sat down for breakfast. Ed watched Harry intently as he dined.

'He's hiding something.' Ed thought. 'Something about that Voldemort guy.'

Hermione was hidden behind a newpaper, and Ed spotted Professor McGonagall passing out sheets of paper along their long table. She gave him a glance, and her brows met for a moment. As soon as she was near enough..

"Edward..You really must dress appropriately. The robes.."

"..are part of school uniform." Ed finished for her, with a scowl on his face. "I refuse to be vwearing dhem. And no vone can make me."

Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and Ed felt kind of tickling hum in his chest. He narrowed his eyes. "..you..didn't..!"

Ed glanced down at his arm. "Arggh!"

The hated robe was back.

Professor McGonagall handed Ed a sheet of paper, for which he shot her a glare before snatching from her hand.

"I am the Head of Griffindor, Mr. Elric. That makes this my house your are staying in. Do remember to follow the rules, or the consequences will be severe." She said rather coldly before handing other sheets of paper over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"I tried warn.." Hermione began.

"Shut it." Ed said grumpily before she could get far, and looked down at his paper. It appeared to be a chart. For today, it read:

History of Magic

Potions

Potions

Divination

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Defense Against the Dark Arts

"You gotta be kidding me.." Ed said in Amestrian. "I thought they were going test me first."

Ed scratched the back of his head.


	27. Ghost Snape Divination

A/N: Had to split this up..the DADA class is going to be, well, hell. Bwa-ha-ha!!!

Ah--after some consideration...i added a bit more to the Divination portion...Thanks again for the reviews!!!

* * *

"Professor Binns strikes again." Ron said as he got up from his own desk and rubbed his sleepy eye.

Ed's head was laid down on crossed arms on his desk, and judging by the soft snores, he was most definitely asleep. Harry nudged Ed on his left shoulder, and Ed mumbled something in that strange language in annoyance.

"I thought for sure HE'D stay awake..." Hermione said in an exasperated tone. "I mean..he loves..."

"Come on, Ed. Got to make it all the way to the Dungeons.." Harry said.

"..Give it a rest, Pavarti..He's cute.." Another voice..this one was Lavender's.

"Oy! Ed..get up.." Ron said, and he took hold of Ed's shoulder and gave it a good shake. Ed lifted his head with a start, and blinked glazed golden eyes. "Class's over mate."

"Vas..Ah." Ed rubbed his eyes with the knuckle of his left hand. "Dhat vwas.."

"Easily the MOST Boring Class Ever..?" Harry said.

Ed yawned hugely and nodded. Then got up and picked up the single notebook he had with him. They were the last ones filing out, and as they made their way to the hall, Ed paused at the doorway and looked back over his shoulder.

"Ed..?"

Ed glanced back.

"I vant to check someting. Can you dhree vait for me a bit?"

Harry glanced to Hermione and Ron. Hermione folded her arms in a huff.

"Honestly, what would you do if I didn't let you use my notes?"

"We'd never pass our O.W.L.S without you..."Ron said.

"And..It'd be all your fault." Harry added with a smile.

Harry heard the distinctive sound, and looked in the doorway. Ed was standing before the chalkboard, the one that Professor Binns had passed through at the end of the lecture, with the fingers of both hand splayed. As he watched, Ed lowered his hands and cocked his head to the side.

"Find anything..?" Harry said.

"..Uh..no." Ed said, and turned towards the door with a puzzled expression on his face. "..must be somevhere else." Ed glanced about the now empty room, then walked towards the door.

"What are you looking for?" Harry said.

"It's ...Noting vreally." Ed said. "Dhe boring guy ve vere listening to. I vanted to see if I vas right about vhat he is."

"He's a GHOST, Ed." Hermione said. "Seriously."

Ed immediately said. "Ghosts don't exist.."

"WHAT!! How can you say that, when..!!"

"'Ione..Wait.." Harry said.

"But..he's being just SOooo....And Nearly Headless Nick was right THERE all night and the others filed in plain as day and..."

"Not here, 'Ione. Let's find someplace...more private."

It was drizzling slightly, and the clouds drifted lazily about the courtyard in such a way that they muffled the snippets of conversations of the huddled groups about it. They found a secluded corner beneath a dripping balcony, and settled back to wait for the bell. Hermione, once she looked about, began.

"Well?" She hissed.

Harry looked over at Ed, then to Ron. Ed rolled his eyes, shrugged, and folded his arms.

"ione. Ed really is .." Harry said.

"Rude and thoughtless." Hermione said. "He didn't even look.."

"Bloody! 'Course not. He can't see 'em, 'iome." Ron said, exasperated.

"What?" Hermione's voice was barely above a whisper.

"See vhat?" Ed said, and leaned his elbows on his knees. "I see dhis place just fine."

"Now." Harry added softly. "You're inside it now."

"Huh?..Wait. That means..You..you really are..?" Hermione said, looking at Ed with wide eyes.

Ed just stared right back. Then raised a single eyebrow.

"Then..How did you ever get past.."

"You only saw the tail end of it." Ron said. "Believe me, it didn't look at all easy. Looked like he was working against a real strong wind the entire way up."

"It vasn't DHAT bad..."

Harry saw someone walking towards them, alone, across the courtyard.

"Quiet.." Harry said."Someone's..

Then Harry saw just who it was. Long dark hair, perfected almond shaped eyes..Cho Chang. He swallowed nervously, and quickly ran his fingers through his hair.

'Glad I don't have that stinksap on me, now..' Harry thought. He looked at Cho, met her eyes, and gave a (hopefully) friendly little wave. He was rewarded with a little smile.

"Hi, Cho." Harry said, and he thought his voice sounded a tad too high and nervous.

"Hi, Harry. I see you got that stuff off you."

"Heh, uh, yeah." Harry found himself smiling. 'Cho really is speaking to me...!'

Cho glanced over at Ed, and Harry saw her eyebrows raise.

"So. You're..um, new here..."

"Oh..Cho, this is Edward Elric. Ed..this is Cho Chang. She's a Ravenclaw. And.. "

"Hi." Cho smiled, and gave Ed a wave. "That was..an interesting jinx you did. Last night."

Ed snorted. "Dhat vwasn't..."

"Just..um..that was really impressive.." Cho said. "I mean I couldn't..No wand..and"

Harry wanted to say something, anything, to get Cho to look back at him.

"Um.." Harry said. Cho slid her eyes towards him.

"So..um..have a nice summer?"

Cho looked down, and swallowed. Harry winced inwardly and found he wanted so much to take those words back.

'She..must be missing Cedric..' Harry swallowed. 'She still misses him. I wouldn't blame her if she hates me.'

"Uh..yeah..yeah." Cho looked up and met Harry's eyes. "It was alright..I mean..um.."

Harry and Cho remained silent for several moments, just looking at each other. He felt his face getting hot.

"So..um..About that badge.." Ron said.

"Tell me. Vhat do I get to look forward to vith dhis..'Potions'?"

Harry looked back to Ed and Ron, then heard the warning bell ring. Harry saw Hermione grab Ed's arm, and give it a fierce tug before Harry turned back to Cho.

"Vhat?!"

"um..there's the bell." Harry said listlessly.

"Anyway..um..See you, Harry." Cho walked away.

* * *

Ed followed Harry, Hermione, and Ron to the lower area of the castle. He looked around him as they went. The place was dark, lit only by torches, and coldly damp enough that he was feeling a persistant ache in his ports that made him want to clench his teeth. Thick dusty cobwebs hung down from the ceiling, and were steadily getting thicker as..they finally arrived at a line at a closed dark door. After a few moments, the door creaked open, and Ed, with a last look about, filed in with the rest of the students. He noted that each one seemed to have the same kind of 'look of dread' that was clearly painted on Harry's face.

'All except those guys..' Ed thought, as he looked over at a pointy faced blond boy lined up behind him. His brain supplied the name after a few moments--'Malfoy'. His face wasn't exactly filled with glee, no. 'More like... confidence? Assurance?'

Ron, Hermione, and Harry all sat near one another. Ed watched as Neville choose a seat well away from the others--or rather, the others made sure to give him wide berth when they sat down. Ed narrowed his eyes, noting the extreme nervousness in Neville's movements. 'Obviously, not his favorite subject.' Ed thought. With a quick glance about, Ed saw that Severus closed the creaking door.

"Settle down." Severus said coldly.

Ed then noticed he was the only one, student that is, not in a seat just yet. The fidgeting and chatter had died down nearly instantly.

"Ed. Over here." Hermione said in a soft, bright voice. Hermione, Ron, and Harry had managed to keep a seat cleared for him. Ed glanced over to Neville, at the empty seats near him, then at her.

"It's alright. Go." Neville said in a soft, kind of defeated, voice.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Elric." Severus said.

Ed looked over at Severus. The greasy haired man was looked down with cold eyes at him with the sneer-mask in place.

"Dhere is not." Ed stated, and took his seat down by the overly nervous Neville. When he looked back, he saw Severus had raised a single eyebrow.

"Before we begin today's lesson..." Snape sweeped his eyes over the entire class. "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' in your O.W.L or suffer my...displeasure."

Snape's eye lingered on Neville and himself. Neville gulped.

"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me, "Snape went on. "I take only the best into my N.E.W.T Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye." Ed saw Snape's eyes linger on another student, and the sneer mask broke, just enough for Snape to curl his upper lip.

"But we have another year until that happy moment of farewell." Said Snape softly. "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T or not, I advise all out you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L students.

"Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace. a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredient you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing."

"The ingredients and method" --Snape flicked his wand--"are on the blackboard" --The words appeared there-- Ed narrowed his eyes, wondering how it was done. "You will find everything you need" -Snape flicked his wand again--"in the store cupboard." --The door of said cupboard sprung open. "You have an hour and a half..Start."

The students in the class seems to rise as one and rush to the cupboard in question. Ed saw no need to hurry, and spent several moments regarding the list on the board. Neville remained with him, figeting with a cauldron and a set of scales he took from his bag. "Ed..um..you didn't bring..?" Ed glanced over at Neville a moment, then looked again at the board.

"No. I vas supposed to be tested first." Ed cocked his head to the side, then stood up as he noticed the jostling crowd of students at the cupboard was clearing. "I'll get your ingredients as vell as mine, as I have questions I vish to have answered. Equivalence?"

"Uh..sure..I guess. Er..can't talk much in here.." Neville said, and he dove to the floor to retrieve his clattering scales that he had just managed to knock over. Ed nodded, not really paying him much attention. As he gathered the ingredients, he felt a grin spreading on his face.

'This. Is going to be fun.' Ed thought.

"50 points from Griffindor. Mr. Elric, where is your cauldron? Your scales..?" Snape called coldly by Harry's desk. Ed couldn't stop his grin.

"I am not needing cooking pot..or inaccurate scales..for somedhing dhis simple." Ed said as he placed the supplies on his desk, and divied up his ingredients off from 'Neville's'. "You vwill let me show you I am very able of doing more dhan..vwhat vwas phrase..parlor tricks?" Ed looked up to Severus, and raised an eyebrow. Smile somewhere between a smirk and a frown.

Cold eyes regarded him, and ever so slightly, a single eyebrow raised. After a few moments, Severus took a breath.

"No, Mr. Elric. You will follow the instructions I have provided for this class."

Ed scowled, and punched the desk with both fists. The ancient wood beneath his fists cracked and splintered.

"Dis is zometing I vas doing vhen I vas barely five of years!!!" Ed yelled.

"Another 50 points from Griffindor." Ed heard gasps, groans and grumbles from his class mates. Even a few snickers from the ones around that Malfoy. Severus walked over to Ed's desk and looked at the cracks down his hooked nose. " Restrain yourself, Mr. Elric. Thus far, you have earned yourself the honor of joining me in detention this afternoon for destruction of ....

Ed, balanced array shining in his mind, abruptly clapped his hands, and slammed both to the desk. He let the warming energy flow down his arms. Blue lightning of the reaction flashed and arced from his hands. He leaned on the desktop and glared at Severus. When the reaction had finished and the light dimmed, the crack was no more.

The sneer mask was firmly in place as he handed Ed a pink slip of paper. Ed snatched it angrily from his hand, and sat down in a huff.

He spent the remainder of class idly handing over the ingredients, one by one, to Neville and doodling equations in his notebook.

"A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion." Severus called out with ten minutes left to go in the class. Ed watched the happy excitement on Neville's beeming face as he realised that his own cauldron's solution was doing just that. Ed snorted and went back to the equation he was working on. When the bell rang, he looked up to see Harry leaving in a huff--the first out the door. Ed got up from the desk and stalked out the door himself.

He was still scowling when he sat near Harry at the food table and dished himself huge platefuls of food. As he scarfed down his food, he and Harry were joined by Hermione and Ron. Hermione took one look at him and wrinkled her nose. Ron leaned his face into his hand as he stuffed his face as well.

"You..nevermind." Hermione said as she dished herself some 'meat pie'..or whatever it was. It at least had gravy.

"Vwhat!?" Ed spat at her once he'd swallowed.

"That really wasn't so good a start, mate." Ron said. "But welcome to the club."

"I really thought he'd be better this year..you know..." Hermione glanced about. Ed rolled his eyes. He knew they were relatively isolated, and took a swig of the "yellow stuff" to cover his facial expression at her obvious childishness. "As he's part of the Order and all. "

"The git's still a git." Ron said. "I don't know why Dumbledore trusts him. I mean, there's no evidence that he's ever stopped working for..You-Know- Who."

"I think Dumbledore's got plenty of evidence, even if he doesn't share it with you, Ron.' Hermione snapped. Ron opened his mouth to argue, but instead...

"Oh shut up, you two. Give it a rest." Harry said heavily. "I'm tired of hearing you argue."

Harry slung his bookbag to his back, and headed off towards a marble staircase.

* * *

Harry sat in the darkness of Professor Trelawney's classroom when Ron poked his head up the trapdoor and spotted him. Professor Trelawney was puttering about at the moment, and hadn't quite noticed he sat alone. He considered that a good thing, especially since she had the bad habit of predicting his death ever other class.

Ron emerged from the trapdoor and made his way to Harry.

"Hermione and me have stopped arguing." Ron said as he sat down next to Harry. "But Hermione said she thinks you should stop taking your anger out on us."

"I'm not--"

"Just passing on the message." Ron said, patting the air. "But I reckon she's right. It's not our fault how Seamus and Snape treat you.

"I never said it.."

The trapdoor slammed open, and Harry saw Ed as he climbed his way up the spindly ladder. In the dim light of the classroom, it was hard to tell if he was still scowling or not. Harry saw Professor Trelawney turn in fright at the sudden noise, her thin frame covered with shawls and glittering strings of beads as usual. Once Ed was inside, he stood up and promptly kicked the trapdoor closed with a loud bang!

"Good day..you must be my new student...Ah.. Mr. Edward Elric. Please, have a seat."

Harry heard Ed snort. And then came the grumbling in that odd language of his. As the other poufs and chairs, and spindly tables were taken by other students, (he WAS the last one to arrive), Ed ended up sitting on the pouf right in front of Harry and Ron.

"Welcome and welcome back to Divination. I have, of course, been following your fortunes most carefully through the summer holidays and am delighted to see you all have returned safely to Hogwarts, as I, of course, knew you would."

Harry heard another snort and grumble from Ed. Professor Trelawney, her eyes magnified to huge proportions by her thick glasses, looked directly at him.

"You will find before your copies of 'Dream Oracle' by Inigo Imago. Dream interpetation is a most important means of divining the future and one that may very probably be tested in your O.W.L. Not, of course, that I believe examination passes or failures are of the remotest importance when it comes to the sacred art of divination. If you have the Seeing Eye.."

Harry heard loud snickering from Ed and watched as his shoulders shook right before him.

"Ed..?" Harry whispered. As Ed started to slap at the pouf with one hand, and wiped at his face with the other.

Ed chortled. "'SACRED!?' Vwhat a load of crock..! You can't be serious!!"

Professor Trelawney, pressed her lips together, and walked so she stood right before Ed. Then, she reached, and touched her hand to one of his chuckling shoulders. Harry never thought it possible, but Professor Trelawney's eyes widened even more, and she took a few hurried steps backwards.

In a booming voice that was most definitely not her usual misty dreamy kind, she said, "YOU. HAVE NO HOME."

Ed gasped, and stopped moving. Harry could hear soft murmurs of whispers in the room from the other students.

Professor Trelawney shook her head. After a few moments, she looked about the room as if confused.

"Where was I..Ah yes. ..the upcoming examination..."

* * *

Ed sat in stunned silence as the Professor went throught the motions of the assignment. The beaten up, leather bound book was open, and in  
sitting front of him on a spindly table. He recalled reading a single paragraph, but could not really remember what it said. Four words were  
ringing throughout his mind.

You have no home.

It was unscientific. Illogical. He had just met the woman, and she knew that about him. He watched her as she went through the lesson.

"Dream interpetation is an important portion of the test you will be sitting this year. I want you to break up into groups of two to practice  
interpeting with one another..."

'Dreams..?' Ed thought, and he looked around. Harry and Ron were sitting right behind him and he glanced over his shoulder to them.

'Huh. Partnered together..nope.'

Then he looked to Neville, the only other one he could consider 'friendly' in the darkened room. He saw he was already partnered with the one  
called 'Dean'. With growing alarm, he noticed that everyone else had already partnered up. He heard the soft whispers around him as the other  
students began the assignment. He then heard the soft clinking of beads, and he swallowed. He glanced to the source and saw the magnified,  
overlarge eyes of the rail thin Professor.

"Mr. Elric? I see there is no partner for you. So, ah. Allow me." The professor sat down at the edge of the pouf and looked at him with rather  
serious expression on her face. "..tell me of your dreams, so that I may demonstrate the techniques for you."

Ed swallowed, and he felt ice in his stomach.

"Come come.. I assure you that I will not think any different of you because of them..."

He entwined his fingers together before him, and studied the cracks on the floor.

"..Is it because you cannot recall any dreams? At all..?"

Ed rested his elbows on the spindly table and began to chew on one of his gloved fingers. At length, he took a breath.

"Dis..iz not zomtink dat um..." Ed stumbled. "I am not believink in dis. In somthink like 'Fate' or 'Destiny'...or anytink like dat."

"..And you find it most difficult to..Ah..I see. You do not believe the Seeing Eye exists. Of course. May I ask how you managed to be assigned  
to my class?"

'Duh' He thought.

"I vas handed de list dhis mornink."

Without missing a beat, the Professor continued in her dreamy voice.

"I can assure you that you were meant to be here, Mr. Elric, for I have foreseen the enormity your presence. It was written in the stars...!"

Ed snorted and looked to the shawl draped woman sitting beside him with a stony expression on his face.

"...take advantage of the extraordinary clairvoyant qualities while you are here. I .."

"I am not havink vish to be sharink my dreams vith you or anyvone else." Ed said. "Dey are..very private tinks."

She put on an expression of great frustration, and looked as though she were being denied a treat.

The bell rang, and Ed stood up. The Professor, standing up beside him, grabbed a hold of his arm--he actually felt her gripping fingers. Ed  
glanced at her in annoyance, only to find she had her overlarge eyes closed. He looked to Ron and Harry and raised his eyebrows.

Harry looked at the woman, sighed, then shook his head. Ron rolled his eyes.

At length, she opened her eyes and looked up to Ed with a tragic expression painted on her face.

"My inner eye sees past your brave face, my dear. You, like Harry, are a troubled soul. I'm afraid I see difficult times for you ahead." The  
Professor then released his arm and swooped on by. She settled herself in a great wing backed chair by the fire.

"For the next month, I am assigning you all to write a dream journal. Write down your dreams when you awake in the morning."

"..think she likes you, mate." Ron whispered as he and Harry took the opportunity slip by, which, in that room, meant weaving in and out of many  
poufs, chairs, and spindly tables. Ed glanced back at the woman, just to make sure she wasn't going to follow, touch, or pounce on him. Then he  
went out the trapdoor as well.

Once he was in the hall, Ed noticed many surly looks being directed at him from a number of students. He returned the looks with a glare of his  
own, and continued on.


	28. DADAPet peevesDetention Snape style

A/N: I believe this is the last that I will need to use the OoP for reference, or at least not have to base the story so heavily on it. Now..the real fun begins!!

I have to admit I'm not too thrilled by how the first class with DADA went. but..it was necessary. Sigh. I really wanted to have Ed go nuts, but I couldn't. Not yet.

* * *

When they entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, the pink monstrosity was already seated at the desk. She was looking even more like a toad than ever to Ed, with the little black bow on the the top of her head resembling a rather unwise fly. He looked at the way she had the class set up, and instantly Ed knew he would hate it.

The desks were ordered in neat rows, directly in front of the monstrosity's large desk, much like his last experience in a regular school.

'This..is going to be incredibly..BORING.' Ed thought as he filed in with the rest.

He flopped into a seat next to Ron, who sat next to Harry. Hermione sat just a few spaces away, and gave him a little wave. He nodded to her, and she blushed. Then he heard.. giggles, and he glanced towards the sound. It came from a group of girls in the front. Only one glanced at him before turning away quickly, then the giggles started up again.

"Well, good afternoon!" the monstrosity said.

Ed heard a few people mumble good afternoon in reply, and he folded his arms.

"Tut,tut," Said she. "This won't do. I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'. One more time please. good afternoon, class."

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." They chanted back. Ed kept his face stony and said nothing.

"There now. That wasn't too difficult, was it?" she said sweetly. Wands away, and quills out, please."

The pink monstrosity took out her wand and tapped on the blackboard sharply with it.

On the board appeared the words:

Defense Against the Dark Arts A Return to Basic Principles.

Written in a neat, girly script.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather fragmented, hasn't it?" She stated with her hands clasped together in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year.

"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following please."

She rapped on the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by:

Course aims:

1) Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.  
2) Learning to recognise situations in which defensive magic can be legally used.  
3) Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

'Yep..like I thought.' Ed opened his notebook, and settled back. He scribbled an array down and continued working on the equation instead. He glanced up when the monstrosity wanted their eyes, heard something about needing a copy of Defensive Magical Theory with them to read in class. He snorted, and went back to his notebook. He let the music of alchemy wrap itself about his mind. He fazed out of it slightly when he heard Hermione's voice..

"Well, I don't. There's nothing written up there about USING defensive spells."

Ed looked up, then around at the silence of the classroom. The monstrosity stared at Hermione with an incredulous expression on her face.

"USING defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge said with a little laugh."Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require your to USE a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to be using magic?" Ron exclaimed.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr.--?"

"Weasley" said Ron, thrusting his hand in the air.

The pink monstrosity smiled more widely, and turned away from him. Harry and Hermione raised their hands immediately. Ed closed his notebook, now interested in the turning of events. The pink monstrosity's pouchy eyes glared at him, then her eyes swept to Harry for several moments. Then turned to Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger. You wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes" Hermione said, "Surely the whole point of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained, educational expert Miss Granger?"

"No, but--"

"Then I'm afraid you're not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way--"

Ed chortled, and covered it quickly with a hasty fist at his mouth and a pretend cough. The monstrosity's eyes flicked towards him and narrowed.

"What use is THAT? " Harry said loudly. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a --"

"Hand, Mr. Potter," sang the pink monstrosity, as she eased her eyes off Ed. Harry raised his fist into the air, and she promptly turned away from him. By now, there were several hands in the air, and the pink monstrosity had to pick one. Ed smirked and glanced over at Harry.

"Bureaucrat" Ed said in Amestrian, and looked back at the flustered thing in pink. Harry looked at him and lowered his brows a little.

"I repeat." Said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at someone, "do you expect to be attacked during my classes?"

"Vell..." Ed drawled, and folded his arms. "I do. But dhen I live in dhe vreal vworld. You did try attacking me last night."

"Hand...Mr. Elric." The pink thing sang out with her eyebrows slightly lowered. "That was a..most unfortunate.. misunderstanding. I do not wish to criticise the way things are run here," She said with an unconvincing smile spread across her face. "But you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed--not to mention," And she gave a very nasty little laugh. "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

Ed narrowed his eyes, and glanced over to Ron and Harry.

"If you mean Professor Lupin, he was the best we ever--"

"Hand! Mr Thomas. As I was saying--you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group, and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks one day--"

"No, we haven't--"

"Your hand is not UP, Miss Granger."

Hermione put up her hand, and the pink thing turned from her.

"It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you--"

Ed raised an eyebrow.

"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, but we learned loads.."

"YOUR HAND IS NOT UP MR. THOMAS." Professor Umbridge trilled. "Now, it is the opinion of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than suffient to get you through your examination, which, afterall, is what school is about. And your name is..?" Pinky looked at one of the girls in front.

'Exams are the POINT of school?' Ed shook his head in disbelief. He was beginning to think of evil things to do to be rid of the class altogether. 'Maybe an array to target pinky's desk far far under ground...'

"What good's theory going to be in the real world?" Harry said, fist still in the air. Pinky looked up.

"This is school, Mr. Potter. Not the real world." she said softly, and her eyes bored into Ed's for a few moments before they fell on Harry.

"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting out there?"

"There's nothing waiting out there.."

"Dhat's vhere you're vrong." Ed spat.

"Oh yeah..?" Harry said angrily.

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves..?" she spoke in a horrible honeyed voice.

"You vould ignore dhe fact dhat dhere are very sick people in dhe vorld? I am speaking of vones vwho are liking to hurt others just for the fun of it?" Ed glared at the pink thing, and slowly stood up from his desk. Hermione gasped and made to grab at his sleeve.

"Ed..no!" Hermione hissed.

"10 points from Griffindor. SIT DOWN. Mr. Elric."

"How about Lord Voldemort, hmmm?" Harry said.

Ron gasped. Ed heard a little scream. The pink thing, though, had a little satisfied expression on her face.

"Oh yeah. Dhanks. Forgot about dhat guy..." Ed said with a dramatic shrug, and remained standing. He folded his arms and glared at the pink monstrosity."..I vas dhinking of maybe..oh.. a drunk wizard in bad mood who knows a little Dark dhings...how vould dis dheroy crap hold up if vwe run into somevone like dhat?"

"Detention, Mr. Elric. Tomorrow at five. My office. 10 points from Griffindor, Mr. Potter." The pink thing said, and she rose from her desk and leaned towards them, her stubby fingers splayed on the desk.

"You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead--"

"He wasn't dead." Harry said. "But yeah, he's returned."

"Mr. Potter-don't-you-have-already-lost-ten-house-points-don't-make-things-worse-for-yourself." She said in one breath. "As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large again. This is a lie."

"It is not a lie" said Harry. "I saw him. I fought him."

"Detention, Mr Potter. You will be joining Mr. Elric tomorrow."  
Pinky said triumphantly. "I repeat this is a lie. The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard..."

"Dhen vhy the hell did dhey send you?" Ed said.

"...If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help." Pinky spoke over Ed, which made his upper lip curl back in distaste. "I am your friend. And now, will you kindly continue your reading. Page five, 'Basics for Beginners'"

Pinky sat down.

"No tanks. I tink I vill go. I can see dhis class vill not be useful to me, for I alvready know how to read."

"Fine, Mr. Elric. I shall make a small note of it. However, you should know that this class is required to be taken by all students while they attend Hogwarts."

Ed scowled, and bit his tongue. He felt the blood throbbing at his temples from the hated word, but he kept his temper in check. He had made it to the aisle when Harry stood up. Hermione gave out a worried little squeal, and desperately tried to pull Harry back to his seat by his sleeve.

"So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?" Harry said, voice shaking.

Ed heard the collective gasps from the other students.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident." Pinky said coldly.

"It was murder." Harry said."Voldemort killed him, and you know it."

"Mr. Elric, Mr. Potter, come here." Pinky said. Ed rolled his eyes. She was hunched over her desk, busily writing. By the time the both of them stood before the desk, Pinky tapped her wand to the paper. Ed watched as it folded itself up. "Take this to Professor McGonagall."

* * *

Ed fiddled with the collar of his robe, and scowled as he and Harry walked hurriedly down the hall to Professor McGonagall's office. He glanced at Harry, and snorted. Harry was frowning, and his brows nearly touched together at the bridge of his nose.

"So..vwho's Cedric?" Ed said.

"A friend of mine." Harry huffed.

"He sounded like he was very..uh..popular." Ed said.

"He was. There was this whole contest thing last year.." Harry said. "It's..complicated. I wasn't even supposed to be in it, but I was."

Ed nodded, and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. His watch chain jingled musically as he walked. Ed heard the sound of breaking glass, and glanced towards it. In the hall behind them were the remains of two inkwells.

"Ed."

Ed looked over at Harry.

"Why did..um.." Harry scratched his nose. "..when she said that you had no home..what was.."

"It is true." Ed said with a slight frown. "It..is very complicated... But the vrest of vhat she said to me.." Ed shook his head and looked away.

"Yeah..nonsense.."

"..my dreams? Psst!" Ed grumbled. "I know very vell vhat dey mean alvready."

"Me too." Harry said, and shrugged. "But..It's what she wants."

Together they descended a staircase, and as Ed watched, Harry seemed to be looking angrily at something on the banister. Ed glanced in the direction, but saw nothing but air. He did hear a something that sounded like a voice..but it sounded whispery, tinny and very far away. "Potty wee potter..! Ha he ha ha..! And who's this..?.."

"I do not have to be liking it." Ed said as he fiddled with with the cuffs of his long sleeved shirt as they seemed to have wandered upwards a bit on their journey. Harry stopped in front of a door. "Dhis the place? Hey..!"

Ed's right glove-- just fell --as he was gesturing at the door. Exposing his shining metal hand for all to see. Fortunately, the hall only contained himself and Harry at the moment.

"Peeves!!" Harry yelled in angry shock as Ed dove for the glove. Just as his hand was less than a inch away, the glove JERKED away, tumbling about as if it were blown by a gusty wind. Ed heard the same whispery voice..laughing. He narrowed his golden eyes.

"What the shit?" Ed said in Amestrian.

The door flung open, and standing there was a very flustered looking Professor McGonagall. Ed looked down the hall and watched as his white glove abruptly fell to the ground. "Potter. Elric. What are you two DOING out of class?"

"WE were SENT. To see you." Harry said.

"Sent? What do you mean?"

Harry handed her the pink note. Ed put his right hand under his robe, where it now held his notebook.

'At least the stupid uniform's good for that much.' Ed thought in annoyance.

He watched the woman as she tapped the note open with her wand and read. He glanced again at the white glove in the hall..it hadn't moved. He considered giving it another go when..

"Come in. Potter. Elric."

Ed entered the room after Harry, and watched as the door closed automatically behind him.

"Well? Is this true?" Ed looked the severe looking woman with the square glasses.

"Vhat?" Ed said, in an annoyed tone.

"Is what true, Professor." Harry said in an angry tone, but was trying to be polite.

"Did you both shout at Professor Umbridge?"

Ed folded his arms and presented a stony face. McGonagall glanced at Ed then to Harry.

"Potter?"

"Yes."

"And you called her a liar?"

"Yes."

"You told her He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back?"

"Yes."

"Have a biscuit, Potter."

"What?"

"Have a biscuit, and sit down." Harry reached for a cookie on the tin plate that sat on top of a pile of papers on her desk.

Mcgonagall then looked at Ed, and narrowed her eyes.

"And you..." she said with a frown. "You stated that she might attack you in class? "

"Iz not dhat big a stretch."

"And you requested to be removed from the class?"

"Yeah. I can make better use of dhat time in library."

McGonagall let out a breath, and sat down behind her desk.

"I'm afraid I can't remove you from the class, Elric. That is beyond my authority." She jerked her chin. "Have a seat."

Ed flopped into a chair and grumbled in Amestrian.., "Waste of time..damn it."

"You both have to be very careful." The tone in her voice suddenly anxious and not so crisp and commanding.

Ed snorted and rolled his eyes. That earned him a stern gaze from McGonagall, which softened somewhat when she looked over to Harry.

"Misbehavior in Umbridge's class could cost you more than just House points and a detention."

"What do you--?"

"Vreally, Harry. "Tink about dhe..structure of power... vhere she comes from... who she reports to." Ed rubbed the bridge of his nose. Harry looked at Ed, face puzzled and confused even from this angle. Ed lowered his hand, returned the gaze, and raised an eyebrow.

The bell rang and Ed could hear the rumbling noise of students exiting classrooms in a hurry. He then noticed the thoughtful look from Professor McGonagall, and glanced at her. She quickly looked to the pink note on her desk.

"It says you two have detention with her for the rest of the week beginning tomorrow evening."

"Every evening this WEEK?" Harry said, horrified... "But Professor, couldn't you..?"

"No, I can't."

"But.."

"She's your teacher and she has every right to give you detention. You will go to her room at five o'clock tomorrow for the first one. Just remember, tread carefully around Professor Umbridge."

"I was telling the truth..!" Harry said. "Voldemort's back!" Ed raised his eyebrows at McGonagall's wincing at the name. "You know he is ..Professor Dumbledore knows he is.."

"For heaven's sake, Potter! This isn't about truth or lies. It's about keeping your head down and your temper under control. That goes for BOTH... of you." She stood up, nostrils wide and mouth in a thin line. Harry stood. Ed leaned back into the chair. "Have another biscuit." She said, and thrust the tin plate forward irritably. Ed frowned, but reached for one.

"Didn't you listen to her speech at the feast?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yeah. She said 'progress practices that ought to be prohibited'..um..."

"She said dhat? Vwow. Vwhat a load of vwaffle..."

"...well..it meant that the Ministry is interfering with Hogwarts." Harry finished.

"Well Potter...I'm glad that you listen to Hermione Granger at the least." Professor McGonagall said, as she eyed Harry. Then she looked sharply at Ed.

"Elric..I believe you have a detention with Professor Snape set for the next few hours?" Mcgonagall said crisply as he lifted the cookie tentatively to his lips.

Ed grimmaced, but nodded.

She sniffed, walked to the door, and opened it.

"Come along, Elric. I will accompany you to your destination."

* * *

Ed found himself once again in the lower levels of the castle. The place was as dark, damp, and chilly as it was earlier.

'Maybe damper..' Ed thought, as he rubbed at an ache in his right port.

He stepped through the door to Snape's classroom, Professor McGonagall entering briskly just behind him. He saw Severus was sitting at the high desk in the front with his head down, busily writing something down. He did not look up, so Ed simply stood before the desk. He was amused that he was standing in parade rest in spite of himself.

'Old habits..' Ed thought, and smiled inwardly. 'Must be the damn uniform.'

"Ah..Mr. Elric." Severus drawled. "I have your first task for this evening's detention up on the blackboard." Snape flicked his wand absently over his shoulder. "The materials you will need are in the cupboard. Start now."

Ed looked to the blackboard and to his surprise found the same exact list for the draught of peace.

"You vwish me to do today's assignment? As a ..punishment?" Ed said.

"I wish you to first demonstrate to me ..and Professor McGonagall.. your knowledge and technique, Mr. Elric. Then, afterwards, I will see to your penalty for your willful defiance of my authority in the classroom." Severus stated.

Ed nodded a slight nod, and headed towards the cupboard. He gathered the ingredients and brought them to a desk. He clapped once, reached to the ground. Blue energy arched from his fingers, warming his arms and chasing away the aches that the cold dampness had stirred up. A small bowl rose up from the stone under his hand as his equation ran its course. He placed that on the desk, and put the materials within that.

He then clapped his hands again, then thought against it, and shook his hands out. He glanced up at the board, and narrowed his eyes. He then took out one ingredient, one that looked rather like a scaley turnip, and held it in his left hand.

"Melatonin or Benzodiazepine.." He mumbled...closed his eyes and looked inward at the structure. "Vweird...very like melatonin.." He picked out a small vial--the liquid within was something like a thick syrup. "...cytokines ..hmm..." He replaced the ingredients into the bowl.

He adjusted the equation shining brightly in his mind, and double checked it for balance. Ed then clapped his hands together and placed them on either side of the bowl's rim. He let the energy flow, and blue lighting once again flashed. When the glow faded, a liquid with a delicate, silver vapor was within the bowl. Outside the bowl, sat the offals: bits of ash, plant stems, and a few empty vials, and a piece of moonstone.

Ed smiled his true smile, somewhere between a smirk and a frown, and cleared the offals off the desk. He then carried them to the bin and tossed them in. With an idle rub at his aching right port, he turned about and saw Severus stalking towards the bowl. He also saw Professor McGonagall squatting on the stone floor, peering down at the faint circlular depression carved there over her square glasses. He walked over towards them, and stood again at parade rest.

Severus looked down his hooked nose at the liquid, and frowned. At length, he stood straight and looked at Ed with his cold eyes. He said. "Explain yourself." Ed met and held his gaze with his own.

"From your description earlier today, I knew I had to be crafting a brain chemical. Dhere are many many neurotransmitters in the human brain, but dhere are very few dhat vregulate sleep; Fewer still that can cause a coma if not properly balanced with dhings called hormones. I had choice between chemicals, and choose dhe vone called melatonin since dhat..um..plant dhing..had structure similiar to it. You vwanted it in liquid form, so I also created a bowl to hold it."

Severus narrowed his eyes, and said, "You have a very ..Muggle.. way of looking at things...although I certainly have never heard of any Muggle being remotely capable of doing what you just did."

Ed raised a single eyebrow.

"Dhat's interesting. I thought vwizards do not care to be knowing dhat much of Muggles or dheir vways."

Severus looked away and waved his wand over the bowl. After a few moments of nothing happening, his mouth became grim line, and he waved his wand again; the liquid within vanished. His brows met at the bridge of his nose.

"While I find your potion-making lacking certain... finesse... I can find no flaws in your alchemical reasoning." Severus said as he pocketed his wand. He turned and stalked back to his desk.

Ed watched as Professor McGonagall picked up the bowl and turned it over carefully in her hands. At length, she set it down on the desk, and looked sharply at Ed once more.

"This is bowl not the product of any transfiguration spell that I know."

"No, it is not. Dhe vword does not translate vwell to English." Ed said. "'Transfiguration' is close. But I have also noticed differences. Like..um.."

"Care to demonstrate again by, say, making the bowl vanish?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Ed took up the bowl into his hands, and walked to the shallow circular depression in the stone floor. Balanced equation shining in his mind, he touched his hands together and lowered the bowl to the ground. He let the energy flow, and blue lightning arched from his arms. The bowl melted back into the stone, filling the depression completely.

"It is not dhe same, I know, as you vwould do." Ed said, as he stood back up. "I saw numerous examples of dhese..'vanishing' and 'conjuring' dhings dhis last month...I find dhem.. um.. vwhat is vword.. facinating." Ed silently congratuated himself for deliberately avoiding the 'm' word. The last thing he wanted to do was curl his lip back in disgust in the presence of the very people he needed to learn from.

"I will be sure to take that into consideration, Elric." Professor Mcgonagall said, her mouth in a thin line.

"For the remainder of your detention, I will have you do a task for which you are well suited." Snape said, "Let it serve to remind you to allow your fellow students do their own measuring."

Ed widened his eyes at this, and opened his mouth.

"I did NOT..!" Ed began, then stopped. He palmed his face with his left hand. Then shook his head and groaned.

'I handed each ingredient to him....' he thought.

"Neville. Aaaagh..I did not vrealise I did dhat...Vright. Vhat do I have to do?"

"Gut red salamanders by hand, and prepare the livers..each must be carefully weighed and recorded. You will find a barrel of them waiting for you in the back room." Severus said. "And Mr. Elric, remember to bring your supplies with you the next class session."

Ed scowled, but nodded and walked to the back area.

* * *

Ed was late to dinner that night at the Great Hall. Harry, Ron, and Hermione made room for him when they spotted his slumped form walking towards the table. The smell of food seemed to revive him somewhat; his head picked up as he got close to the table's various delicious dishes, and he quickly sat down with an empty plate that he proceeded to eagerly pile food upon.

Harry then noticed the too loud whispers of those sitting around him. Whispers as if the whisperers wished him to overhear. Goading him into yelling out more of what happened that night to Cedric Diggory in the cemetery. His hands were shaking from his pent up anger.

Then. He noticed the shining glint of metal in the candle light. And the goading whispers changing abruptly to a new topic told him that he wasn't the only one around who noticed. It was then that he knew he was no longer the hot topic for the school.

As he watched Ed eating, hurriedly scarfing down biteful after biteful, it was very clear to Harry that Ed had forgotten something that seemed so very important to him the night before. He had forgotten that his white glove was lost in the hall somewhere by Professor McGonagall's office. And that everyone in the school could now see his shining metal hand.

Harry looked to Ron and Hermione, and swallowed.


	29. In which Ed has his second day

A/N: Apologies to the reviewers of the earlier version..I just had a review that nailed down exactly what bothered me with the Umbridge detention. Basically, it wasn't 'Ed' enough. It's fixed somewhat..but I did really want him to go all BA on that Umbridge person. He'd get kicked out of school that happened to have a resource he reeeeaallllly needs AND he'd abandon someone that he's friends with. He just wouldn't be Ed if he did either one, pissed off or not.

* * *

As he watched Ed eating, hurriedly scarfing down biteful after biteful, it was very clear to Harry that Ed had forgotten something that seemed  
so very important to him the night before. He had forgotten that his white glove was lost in the hall somewhere by Professor McGonagall's  
office. And that everyone in the school could now see his shining metal hand.

Harry looked to Ron and Hermione, and swallowed.

"He said he fought You-Know-Who.."

"..saw Cedric Diggory die.."

"..wonder what took off his hand.."  
"Wait, wasn't he born with it?"

"Stupid..! No one's BORN with a metal.."

"..Bet it was a Dark Wizard..like he said in.."

"Maybe..it's magic metal..?"

Harry watched as Ed scarfed down the last morsel on his plate and, with a swig of the 'yellow' juice to wash it down, turn to Hermione.

"Could you show me vwhere the library is?" Ed said "I vwant to get started in dhere vright avay."

"Um..sure, but the library's closed right now. Ed..uh.."

Ed looked at her in confusion.

"It's not dhat late, is it? Vwhat time is it?"

"It's late. It'll still be there tomorrow, mate." Ron said "Um, Ed."

Ron gestured to his own right hand. Ed raised his eyebrows and glanced down to his own; He saw the metal shining in the candlelight. He entwined  
his fingers together, brought them to his chin, making the shining metal hand more prominent than ever. He watched the others around him with  
slightly narrowed eyes. After a few moments, he abruptly stood up and walked away from the table.

"Ed..?" Harry said, "you..?"

Harry watched Ed's back as he stalked towards the Griffindor tower, long pony tail swinging with every step.

"Harry, c'on. Let's go, too." Hermione said.

"'Sides, he doesn't know about the trick stairs..!" Ron added.

Harry glanced at the whisperers sitting around, and gave them a good glare.

"Well, not like down here's all that welcoming, anyway." Harry said.

Harry followed Hermione and Ron up the stairs to the common room. When they arrived, Ed wasn't there, but his robe was; it was thrown carelessly  
upon one of the chairs by the hearth. Crookshanks was there on the chair cushion, sniffing at the discarded robe as if offended by it's  
presence. The room was nearly empty; most of the other Griffindors were still in the Great Hall, eating.

"Well..looks like he made it alright." Ron said, and flopped onto his favorite chair. "You reck'n he's steaming..?"

"Don't know." Harry said. "I know I am. I mean, why don't they believe me now when they did 2 months ago?"

"I'm not sure they did." Hermione said softly. "You don't know what it was like, since you were only on the green and not..oh." Hermione flopped  
into her own chair, and a loudly purring Crookshanks immediately jumped into her lap. "Dumbledore made the announcement right after alright,  
then the holidays happened, and they only know what the Prophet's been printing about you and Dumbledore this entire time."

"It's like whatever Dumbledore said didn't matter." Harry said glumly as he flopped into his own favorite chair.

"How could Dumbledore let this happen?" Hermione said "How could he let that horrible woman teach us? In our O.W.L. year?!?" She started to  
pound the chair's overstuffed arms until dust rose up. It became such a great cloud that it made both her and Crookshanks sneeze nuerous times.  
Crookshanks shook his head in his irritation, then left her lap in favor of the sloppily robed chair by the hearth.

"Well, we never really had a good D.A.D.A teacher now have we." Harry said. "It's like Hagrid said. No one wants the job."

"And she wants people to spy for her." Ron said. "'member, she said to tell her if anyone said You-Know-Who is back?"

"'Course she said that. She works for the Ministry!" Hermione snapped.

"Don't start arguing again.." Harry said with a sigh. "Can't we just..Let's just do that homework, get it out of the way..."

Harry heard some clumping sounds, and looked up as Ed came down the stairs from the dormitory. He was carrying a rather large pile of books  
before him, and both hands were now gloved. He glanced back to his own bookbag and took out a scroll. Ron already had his out and was busily  
writing.

'The properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making..'

"There." Ron said, and looked expectantly at Hermione. "So what are the properties of moonstones in potion making?" Ron and Harry looked over at  
her, and saw she had her attention directed at Ed.

Ed shooed Crookshanks off the chair with a half-hearted push-scoop using one foot. He then flopped down and put his pile of books at his feet.

"Dhe properties of moonstone? Easy. You just use dhe aluminum silicate crystaline structure to base dhe form of.."

"You didn't even do the assignment today. How do.." Hermione began.

"Severus... vwas not liking my metod much." Ed smirked. "It does not change dhe fact dhat it vworked. Next class he vwants me to do dhe same as  
dhe vrest of dhe class, vwhich means I get to bring along stoopid cooking pot."

Harry imagined the look of surprise he was sure was on Snape's face at the flash of blue lightning. He had seen Draco's face, and glanced at  
most of the class when Ed repaired the cracked table he was sitting at with but a clap of his hands. Harry was facing the wrong way to see just  
what was on Snape's face then, but he wished he could have seen it.

"Just..uh.. Call him Snape." Hermione said. "You lost us enough points today on your own."

"I DO know dhat." Ed snorted, and picked up a book. "Dhis Potions class is like a review for me. Like..um.. going back to kindergarden to learn  
about different colors in many vays. It is dhe..um..magical.." Ed's nose wrinkled in disgust. "..plants I am unfamiliar vwith. Neville seems to  
be liking dhem much.."

"So..um..how do you do that..hand clap thing anyway? I mean..it's neat and all. But.. " Ron said.

"I..um.. Vhat I HAVE been able to find.. ez minor branch of vhat I know, and eben dhat is being filled vith such misinformation.. myths.. uber  
garbage... I vas hoping to get to your library today, and see if it vas any better here... but.." Ed shook his head, opened the book, and sat  
back. Harry saw it was the 6th year book for Tranfigurations.

"What..what is it?" Harry said. "Could you tell us that much?"

"I dhink... you alvready know dhe answer to dhat, Harry." Ed said, as he turned a page. "..vright now, I am vorking on a dheory."

Harry really tried to figure just what it was Ed was talking about, and only found his temple throbbing from the effort. He looked at Hermione  
and Ron.

"Ed.." Hermione began. "What are you..?"

Ed turned a page and continued reading.

"Eeeeddd..heeellll-lo..." Ron said loudly. Ed had to have heard; Ron was nearly sitting right next to him. Harry watched, but Ed didn't respond,  
instead, he turned to the next page of the book. Ed's face was like stone, and his golden eyes held such intensity..

"Brilliant..He looks like he did at the castle entrance..." Harry said when he looked to Ron.

"Don't touch him, then. 'Member? He nearly hit you." Ron said.

"No worries there." Harry said as he patted the air. "I want my jaw intact. I'm staying over here."

"He did this..to get through the..?" Hermione said. "Wow. Just..wow."

Harry rubbed his temples, and, after a few moments, though he knew he'd regret it, gave up on doing his homework that night. Especially when  
Hermione said..

"I'm not sure..but I think.. I know what he was talking about ..."

* * *

Ed made sure to go to bed long after the others in the dorm went. And he got up long before anyone had awoken. He was in the middle of his  
isometric routine when Dean rubbed his sleepy eyes. He was one of the one's that had seen his uncovered metal hand up close at the table last  
night. Ed saw the questioning look in the boy's eyes, but pretended to be far too focused to notice anything. It was close to the truth, anyway;  
The turning in the weather was the cause of so many aches in his ports that he had to concentrate more than normal to move properly.

Ed was fully dressed in a black long sleeved turtle-necked sweater, long dress slacks, gloves, and boots. His long golden hair braided back  
today; only his unruly bangs remained truly unruly. The one thing he hadn't put on just yet was his pocket watch--it sat on the small side table  
beside the bed.

Seamus woke next.

Then Nevelle. That one also had seen his hand. As Ed switched legs on the wall, he saw Nevelle yawn and stretch.

"Morning." The round faced boy said cheerfully.

"Mornink.." Ed replied, and hissed through his teeth. Left port choosing just then to throb. He was finished by the time Ron awoke. That was  
when he reached for his watch.

"So.." Neville said softly. "You have a fake hand..?"

Ed froze a moment, but then hooked the watch to the front loop of his pants and slipped it into his pocket. It was on his right side, as usual.

"Yeah." Ed said. "Vhy..?"

"I saw it last night. I..uh..didn't know."

Ed nodded, and looked to the boy.

"Makes us eben, yes? Dhat cactus...? "

Neville grimmaced a little.

"So..um..can we see it? " Dean said.

"Dean..!" Harry said. "That's..!"

"You know he's not..!" Ron said. "I mean..he's been..hidden and all..and..and.."

"No..it's alvright." Ed said. "It..um. You. And Harry. um. You alvready know." Ed sat down on his bed and took a breath. He looked hard at Dean,  
Seamus, and Neville. "I dhink..um..is better for dhem to know as vell."

Ed removed the glove, held up the hand, and flexed the fingers. Then, he pushed his sleeve up a little ways, and watched their eyes widen. Ed  
rolled his eyes at that point, pushed the sleeve back down and replaced the glove. The questions began almost immediately.

"H-how..?" Seamus said, "I mean..um.."

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Wow..that HAS to be a Muggle-made arm," Dean said, "..but I've never.."

"Yeah..friend made it for me." Ed said. "Hohem..my father..designed it."

"How's it work?"

"No idea." Ed said. "Someting to do vith dhe nerves. My brain still sends signals, it takes dhem somehow and makes dhe movements I tell it to."

"Does it hurt..?" Neville said.

Ed looked at Neville.

"No. Dhere iz no feeling. I can movez it, but zat iz all."

"Magic can..why.." Seamus said. "I mean, Neville lost his hand 'bout a year back, and he's fine...You really MUST be Muggle born."

'Magic has no equivalent exchange...' Ed thought. 'But..to do THAT!?'

"I find dhat.. veird." Ed said, covering his surprise at the news that Neville lost a hand then got it back, whole and complete. "I mean..

'Muggle'? 'Mudblood'? Tch.. But, yeah. I vould be vhat you know as 'Muggle-born'."

"Then how did you..At the ceremony..and the table..That wandless..if you didn't know magic at all..?" Neville said.

"Dhat..um.." Ed looked a Neville, and took a breath. "Dhat vwasn't magic."

"Huh?" "That sure looked.." "Wha..?"

Ed glanced at Ron, and Harry, then picked up his notebook and went to the Main Hall, pausing in the common room to only long enough to pick his  
hated! robe up off the chair. He was one of the first at the long table. He savored the coffee, and enjoyed the feel of the warm mug in his left  
hand. It wasn't as if he didn't notice the whispers. Or the giggling of groups of girls as they walked by. He just ignored them all in favor of  
working on the equations in his notebook.

Harry, Hermione and Ron joined him at the table soon enough, and he let the music of Alchemy fade back into his mind once more. He closed his  
notebook and looked at each of them. Harry looked quite grumpy. Ron, too, though it looked more like he had just woken up by the puffiness in  
his face. Hermione was pouring herself a cup of coffee, and she had a pleased look on her face. Ed wasn't sure what to make of it. She glanced  
at him, and her lips became a thin line. It made her look like a cat that had managed to swallow a bird whole.

"Goot Morning.." Ed said.

"Morning Edward...!" Hermione said in a musical, breathy voice. An effect that was somewhat ruined by a yawn.

Ed narrowed his eyes. He watched Hermione finish her coffee. At about the same time, Ron and Harry finished their breakfasts. To his surprise,  
no questions were directed his way.

'Not yet..anyway' He thought.

Instead, the subject of the meal was a certain missing person called 'Hagrid'.

* * *

Then first class for the day was called Charms.

"Ah..a new student. Mr. Elric was it?" The voice squeeked from behind the desk. Ed could barely see the top of the man's head from his chair.

"Yeah. And you..are Professor Flitvwick?" Ed said.

"Indeed I am." Flitwick squeaked, and hopped up on something -- Ed supposed it was a pile of books-- to see over his desk. "And..Dear me, you

appear to be the youngest fifth year I have ever seen..."

Ed's vein at his temple throbbed.

"Are you saying..I'm SMALL..for my age..?" Ed said in a low voice as he glared at the smaller man.

"Actually..I find you...and all my students..quite frankly. Very tall." Flitwick looked around for dramatic effect. "Very tall indeed."

Ed grinned widely, and relaxed back into his seat. He listened intently to the man's lecture. Though it was considered review, he was having  
considerable difficulty wrapping his mind around the concept that an object would move just because one told it to. Even still, by the end of  
the double period, he decided he liked the little man.

'Maybe we could even trade 'short' insults..' Ed thought as he left.

* * *

The next class was Transfiguration, with Professor McGonagall. When he walked into the class room, his eyes instantly were transfixed to the  
display on the wall behind Mcgonagal's desk.

'An array..no..not right..not complete..' He thought. 'I've seen this...somewhere..'

"May I help you, Mr. Elric..?"

Ed realised that Professor McGonagall was perched in her chair. Behind her desk. Directly in front of the array. The look on her face serious.  
Business-like. Gray eyes cold.

"I..vas vondering vhy you have dis..here. On de vall."

"This is merely a sample of ancient Tranfiguration circles..this one in particular Circe herself was said to have used..." Professor Mcgonagal  
said. "..to turn passing sailors into pigs."

"No.." Ed said softly with a small shake of his head. "It is not for dhat. The vrunes are all vrong. Iz for zometing elze...ze equazon  
..unbalanced.. Iz... to keep dis vay.." Ed swallowed. "...you are needink to break dat zirkle."

Professor McGonagall raised a single eyebrow.

"Mr. Elric..I assure you that this has been on my wall for many years. It's perfectly safe."

Ed shook his head.

"I ask you. Break dat zirkle. Pleaze." Ed said softly, hoping only she would hear him. He met her gray eyes with his gold. "Iz bazic zafety for  
avrrayz. I tell you it not for vat you tink it is. Iz .." Ed shook his head. He grimmaced and fisted his hands in frustration. "Tch..! I am not  
havink vright vords in English. It vould just take a touch...and.."

"Mr. Elric." she said softly, with a small smile on her stern face. "Thank you for your concern in this matter, but I assure you I am quite  
aware of the risks involved. Please, do have a seat. Class is about to begin."

Ed swallowed and nodded. Then, with a last glance at the wall, he reluctantly turned around. He saw Harry and Ron had saved him a seat by them,  
and this time, he went. He walked by Hermione, as she sat right in front, uncomfortably close to that array on the wall.  
'..but then, the whole class would be gone if that thing goes off...' Ed thought.

Though unnerved by the array on display, Ed found, maddeningly enough, the task the professor assigned for the class was to make a snail  
disappear. When the Professor paused to take questions, Ed immediately raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Elric?"

"Vhere do dhey go?"

"Pardon?"

"Dhe snails. Dhey have to go somevhere. Unless ve are vreally breaking dhem down to their basic parts.."

"No..you are not, I repeat, NOT, to be doing that to them. Just make them disappear."

"Oh! I did it." Hermione said. "Third try!"

"10 points Griffindor." Professor McGonagall said, voice crisp but most definitely pleased.

Ed spent the rest of the class appearing to be fiddling with the ivory wand and trying his best to ignore the tickling sensation in his chest,  
as everyone around him was attempting the SOMEthing necessary to do the vanishing trick. He even occasionally waved his 'wand' over the snail as  
he was instructed he should do with a real wand. He wasn't surprised that the snail remained at his desk--he wasn't actually DOing anything to  
it. Instead..he was working on his theory, mentally noting several equations that might do the trick...

'This has to be the key to getting around Equivalent Exchange. I know it is..' Ed thought as he looked down at his snail. The mollusk waved its  
feelers about, very much unaware of its significance. 'Just have to figure out a solution that won't kill me...'

When the bell rang, he noticed he was not the only one who did not have the desired results. Harry and Ron both still had their snails  
stubbornly anchored onto reality. Ed frowned, and listened as the homework was assigned. He was unsurprised that they were to practice the very  
same exercise on their own.

* * *

Lunch was next, and after hurriedly scarfing down something filling, yet tasty, Ed finally made it to the library. He was nearly dragged away  
from his browsing search by Ron and Harry only an hour later due to the next class on his list: Care of Magical Creatures. It was not a class he  
was looking forward to..since not only was it was held outside the castle, but he was not exactly thrilled with the idea of looking at yet more  
chimeras. With a grumble and a scowl, he left his rather large pile of books where it was and followed Ron and Harry to the place, absently  
rubbing at his aching ports the entire way.

'This is stupid. Why wasn't I asked what I wanted to learn when this crappy schedule was made up?' Ed thought as they approached a table in  
front of a small cabin by the large forest he knew was 'forbidden to students'. The lesson was interesting enough, and the creatures  
were..interesting.

'Insect-human chimera' He thought as he drew them as best he could with his left hand, which wasn't all that much better than his barely legible  
handwriting. His drawing was little more than a stick figure, and strongly resembled something a four-year old could manage on a good day.

More out of boredom than anything else, he included a several possible equations, complete with labels and code, that would create the creatures  
from scratch on the back. He was in the middle of one when he heard a definite dtink! from his right shoulder. He glanced down to see what had  
struck him, as it had obviously hit on the port... somewhere.

'..Through 2 layers of clothes...maybe a pebble..?' Ed thought, but saw nothing moving on the ground other than the insect-chimera in front of  
him. He heard soft snickers and glanced around. But again, nothing seemed out of place. The Malfoy kid was the only one walking away with his group  
behind him.

'Could he have...?' Ed thought.

Ed decided no real harm was done, then looked up in time to see Harry's annoyed face. Harry held a hand out in front of him, and blood dripped  
down one finger from what looked like a bite.

"..If he calls Hagrid moron one more time.." Harry snarled.

"Don't go picking a row with Malfoy. Remember, he's prefect now. He could make your life difficult." Hermione said as she handed a hankercheif  
to Harry.

"Imagine that. A difficult life." Harry growled, voice dripping with sarcasm, as he wrapped the cloth around his wound.

* * *

The next class: Herbology.

Ed walked along the green, Ron and Harry on one side, Hermione on the other. Then..

Then he saw Luna..her hair tied up in a knot at the top of her head..looking more like Winry than ever, trailing behind the rest of the exiting  
children -- no.. students! --, and he just..stopped. Stopped walking, and very nearly stopped breathing. Someone bumped into him from behind,  
but he caught himself before he fell forward. There were steadying hands gripping his left arm, and he wasn't sure of the right.

She looked over at their little group and her eyes widened excitedly. Ed felt a lump rise in his throat.

'It's not her..it's NOT her..." he thought as she made a beeline for them. He focused on her earrings -- which were a pair of orange radishes,  
the bottlecap necklace -- things which definitely ruined the 'Winry-ness' of her appearance. He swallowed the lump with great difficulty, but  
not before Luna looked directly at his very much unguarded face, and raised her eyebrows. She quickly looked instead to Harry, and took a  
breath.

"I believe You-Know-Who is back, and you fought him, and you escaped from him." she said.

"Er--right" Harry said.

"You alright, Ed?" Hermione said softly near his ear, and Ed tore his eyes off of not!Winry Luna. Hermione held his left arm in her hands, brown  
eyes full of concern. He swallowed again. Then nodded. He heard a couple of girls giggling, and looked around. He saw that they were surrounded  
by students.. being watched with great interest.

"You can laugh. But people used to believe there was no such thing a the Blibbering Humdinger or the Crumple-Horned Snorkack." Luna said, voice  
rising in anger.

"Well, they were right, weren't they? There weren't such things as the Blibbering Humdinger or the Crumple-horned Snorkack, now were there?"  
Hermione said impatiently.

Luna gave them all a withering look and flounced away. Not only girls were laughing now. The whole crowd around them laughed heartily. Ed  
watched not!Winry Luna walk towards the castle.

"You mind not insulting the only people who believe me?" Harry said as he turned to Ed and Hermione.

"Oh. I think you can do better than her, Harry. She only believes in things that have no proof." Hermione said.

Harry looked at him then, and Ed looked back. Harry narrowed his green eyes slightly and tilted his head.  
"Great. What's with you?"

"Is nodting." Ed said, and, with a his mouth set in a grim line, continued on his way to the class. Or tried to. Hermione still held his left  
arm, and firmly pulled him back. He glanced at her in annoyance, and saw a firm glare on her face. Then..the glare grew a blush, and she  
abruptly let his arm go.

They filed into the greenhouse together just as the bell rang for the class to begin.

* * *

Harry watched as Ed staggered back a step at the entrance hall of the castle. He leaned his head back and closed his golden eyes as if in  
relief, forehead dripping with sweat.

This time, Hermione had accompanied them up the stairs. Harry saw a lot of worry in her face as she looked at Ed.

Out of concern, he, Ron, and Hermione made sure they were the last to file up from the Greenhouse, silently consenting to keep Ed's secret as he  
struggled past the anti-Muggle charms in his own manner ahead of them. It was clear to Harry it was not an easy thing, however Ed was managing  
to do it.

As hard as the effort was on Ed, it was just as hard for them to witness.

Hermione lunged to catch Ed when he stumbled about halfway up, but both Harry and Ron warned her off with hurried waving of hands. Ed caught  
himself, and leaned against the wall. One hand bracing him upright, Ed began to chant something under his breath. When he looked up Harry had a  
clear view. He heard Hermione gasp, and knew she saw them too. Ron rushed up a few steps to look for himself.

"Bloody.. hell.." Ron muttered.

Ed's eyes.. they had taken on that unnerving molten gold look to them that Harry had last seen that night Ed had faced the boggart, and they  
were fixed on the top of the stairs. Harry, on impulse, waved his hand in front of Ed's face, but Ed didn't so much as blink in response.  
Instead, he took another step up. Followed by another. Before long, he was no longer leaning on the wall.

Now that they were safely inside, Harry was anxious to hurry on and head to the Great Hall. He was starved and wanted to eat SOMEthing before he  
had to do whatever Umbridge had in store for him. He glanced back to Ed, and smiled. Ed had opened his eyes once more, and they were just his  
ususal..unusual shade of gold.

"Hungry?" Harry said.

"'Hungry' is not vright vord." Ed said, and he wiped his forehead with his left gloved hand. As he did so, his stomach growled loud enough to be  
heard over the general din of hallway echoes. He glanced at each of them, and nodded the small nod that Harry knew as his way of saying thanks.

They made their way to the entrance of the Great Hall, where they sat together.

"Ed..um..About Luna Lovegood...." Hermione began.

Ed's eyes widened, and he sputtered into the glass he was drinking from.

Ron blinked in amusement, and leaned his chin on one hand as he chewed on a chicken leg.

"Dere iz noting to be speaking about." Ed said as he wiped his chin with a spare sleeve of his robe.

"Really." Hermione said. "You don't say..."

"I do say." Ed looked over at her. "Dhere is noting."

Ed's face certainly looked convincing, but Harry was debating with himself at that point. He certainly remembered the look on Ed's face on the  
train when he saw Luna sitting on the bench. The expression there was much much more than the simple recognition. He had witnessed how Ed's legs  
just seemed to be unable to support him at that same exact moment, and how he had slid to the floor like he was made of jelly.

Ed glanced at him rather quickly when he took a breath, so instead of what he was going to say on the matter, he said:

"Five 'till five. Gotta go."

"Vha..? Alvready?" Ed said, and then got up from the table.

* * *

Ed smirked when he heard the honey-sweet voice of the pink monstrosity and adjusted the cuffs of his sweater to make sure the metal wrist of his  
right hand was covered as Harry opened the door. He widened his eyes at the 'pinkness' of the room that served as her office, and looked on in  
horror at the collection plates, each with a large printed, and animated! kitten sentenced to wear a bow about the neck, that graced one wall.

Doillies and lacy tablecloths were on nearly every surface. And there were numerous vases of dried flowers all about.

"Good Evening, Mr. Potter. Mr. Elric." Ed heard as he stepped into the room. He saw the toad-woman standing in front of the desk..her robes  
nearly matching the flowery design of the tablecloth. Ed closed the door behind him, and met her beady eyed gaze with his own.

"Evening." Harry said stiffly.

Ed grunted, and folded his arms.

"Well. Sit down." Pink-toad flicker her eyes to Harry, and vaguely waved her hand to one small lace covered table, with a straight backed chair  
beside it -- this one against the wall. Then, she looked to Ed and waved to another, similar looking table against the wall across the way. Ed  
rolled his eyes. By the piece of parchment on the table, he knew what the task would be: writing lines.

"Professor Umbridge, before we start..I wanted to ask--a favor..." Harry said.

"Oh, yes?"

"Well, I'm..on the Griffindor Quidditch team and I was supposed to be at the tryouts on Friday and.."

"Oh. no. No. This is your punishment for spreading evil, nasty, attention-seeking stories, Mr. Potter. And punishments cannot be adjusted to  
suit the guilty one's convenience. No, you will come here at five o'clock tomorrow, and the next day and on Friday, too. And you will do your  
detention as planned. I think it rather a good thing that you are missing something you really want to do. It ought to reinforce the lesson I am  
trying to teach you."

Ed watched as she looked over Harry with a wide smile plastered on her face. Harry looked very angry, but within moments, he dropped his bookbag  
beside the straight backed chair and sat down.

"There now. We're getting better at controlling our temper already, aren't we? Now, you're going to be doing some lines for me, Mr. Potter. No.  
Not with your quill." She added, as Harry bent down to his bag. "You're going to be using a rather special one of mine. Here you are."  
She handed Harry a long black quill.

"Harry, I want you to write 'I must not tell lies'"

"How many times?"

"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to sink in." Pink-toady said "Off you go."

She turned to look at Ed.

"Mr. Elric..you need to go sit over there."

"Vwhat will you give me if I do?" Ed said.

"I remind you, Mr. Elric, that if you refuse to take this detention with me, that you will be facing certain expulsion from the school. I should  
think that would indeed be a great tragedy if that were come to pass. Considering how fortunate it is that a..Muggle ..born.. like yourself is  
here at all?"

Ed frowned, and turned to go to the seat. He roughly pulled it back, and flopped into it.

"You too, will be writing lines. Here is your quill." she said as she handed him a quill that looked identical to the one she had handed Harry.

Ed took it with his gloved left hand. "I want you to write, 'I shall fully accept the authority of Professor Umbridge at all times.' Your  
instructions are the same as for Harry otherwise."

Ed's nose wrinkled in distaste, but he brought the quill down to the parchment.

"Vwhere is the ink?" Ed said.

"Oh..you won't need any ink." she said with the slightest suggestion of a laugh in her voice.

Ed shook his head, but began.

As soon as the sharp tip of the quill scratched the paper, something like red ink flowed from it. As he wrote the first line, he felt a stinging  
pain on the back of his left hand, and a familiar tickle in his chest at the same time. He frowned, looked at the back of his hand, and watched  
as blood weakly seeped through the cloth. He immediately put the quill down, and pulled off the glove.

There was no cut, but his skin was unmistakably red and inflamed. He narrowed his eyes, and pushed up his sweater sleeve past the bandage that  
covered the array scar on his forearm. The red mark reached fully that far. He looked at the woman, only to see she was smiling sweetly at him.

"Yes?" She said.

"Dis is joke, vright?" Ed said.

"No..this is your just punishment for defying.."

Ed stood up....

.

.

.

.

.

Toad woman leaned back in her chair behind the desk, smiling wider than ever."Then I'll be happy to send for your expul.."

"No. You will not." Ed said carefully, 'w's finally sounding right to his ears. "I will tell you why. Better yet..." He snorted then picked the quill back up with his left, and held the quill over the parchment.

"..I will be showing you." Ed scribbled a quick array in the parchment that appeared nearly immediately on his forearm. "Blood is dhe last ting you vant to be punishing somevone like me with, you half-wit third rate..."

He let the energy flow, not needing to clap for an array carved into his very flesh. Blue lightning arched and flashed wildly from his arm and danced across the walls and the floor. Then, in a blink of an eye, the equation completed itself. From the walls around her desk several spikes stretched. From beneath Umbridge's feet, several more spikes likewise stretched upwards...

Ed looked down at his stinging arm and saw that the scribbled array was now gone.

He raised his head and saw her beady dark eyes were wide with panic, surprise, and pain. She was quite painfully impaled through her arms, legs and several non-vital areas of her torso. Blood dribbled to the floor in a gory mess of a puddle beneath her. She would be dead in moments if he did nothing..and nothing was exactly what he was planning to do for her. Equivalent trade for the..

"You may be panicked now, but I am doing you a favor. I find it stupid dhat you are not knowing dhis simple fact since you are such a..in a position of such authority... at a school dhat is supposed to be teaching such things. Any fool knows blood. Strengthens. Vreactions."

.

.

.

.

.

The the scar on his forearm tingled as if energy flowed through it, and he shook it out by instinct before the design was activated. Within moments he realised the familiar sensation had snapped him back to his senses, his bloody fantasy only just that.

'Thankfully...' Ed thought. 'That was too close...'

He was still standing before the toad woman's desk, and she was still very much whole, looking at him with beady eyes. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides, and reluctantly, with a sigh, sat back down into the chair.

'No reason to let her know just what I'm capable of.' He thought. 'She does report to that Ministry. Last thing I want is to be shipped off to  
some sort of lab to be disected or something. Besides, I won't be doing him any favors that way...he'd still be stuck here doing lines for her.'

"Good.." Toady's sugary voice said. "Our control over our temper is improving as well. Your lines are waiting.."

Ed held up a hand.

"Hear me out first." Ed said, and he folded his arms. "I live in vreal vorld, Professor Umbridge. You must as vell, since you are vorking for de  
Ministry. It is said dhat in dis vorld, vone can not gain someting vithout first giving up someting of equal value."

The toad woman leaned back into her chair, and laughed her little girly laugh.

"What can a..mudblo...hem hem, a child..can possibly offer that would be of any value at all?"

"Dhat depends entirely on vhat one values." Ed said carefully, and rubbed his chin with his left hand.

He snorted, then removed the bandage from his arm, hissing as the tape pulled out hair. He looked at the mess that was the array scar, scabbed  
over a little worse than it was in his mental image. The pattern was there and still as clear as ever, and to his critical eye, it looked like  
he had managed to carve it deep into his flesh with something like a razor blade. Over and over and over again. That was not the case, but it  
didn't matter; What did matter was the fact that it certainly LOOKED like it hurt. A lot. Though he really barely noticed it at all.

Ed glanced up and saw that pink toady's eyes watching his revealed mucked-up scar with a hungry sort of look, and resisted the urge to wrinkle  
his nose in disgust. Instead he casually tossed the bandage to the rubbish bin from where he was.

"Mr. Elric, come over here. Please." she said in her honeyed voice.

"What vill you give me if I do?" Ed said.

"Must everything be a negotiation with you?" She said in exasperation. "As a ministry approved educational expert, I have the duty..to look  
after the well-being of my charges..."

"I suppose dhat's technically true. Ve ARE having quite the educational experience vith dhese..." Ed said, and flicked the quill between two  
fingers of his gloved right hand.

"That is enough." She said in a clipped tone, and she leaned forward. "Turn about. Now. Off you go."

He slapped both hands to his thighs with an exaggerated sigh, and turned, but not before he glanced over at Harry's hunched over form across the  
room. Location of the quill in mind, he picked up his own and began writing. When the tiny array he fashioned from one of the letters appeared,  
carved in blood, on the back of his hand, he immediately activated it before it could fade.

The telltale blue flash of the reaction was barely noticable to his eyes; it went off quite literally in front of his nose, and he knew his body  
shielded the flash from pink toady's view altogether. The sharp nib of his own quill deconstructed --telling him he had guessed its composition  
rightly-- and he smiled his true smile in satifaction at the small, surprised gasp he heard from Harry's side of the room.

The only real problem was this: both of their quills were quickly replaced by the pink toad.

Ed leaned his chin into his right gloved hand, doing the mindless, repetitive task. He kept his mind engaged, trying to analyse the composition  
of the quill in his living hand, barely even feeling the pain of the words as they carved themselves ever deeper into his flesh. -- It wasn't  
made of wood and he hadn't gotten far enough along to deconstruct the thing at all, much less change it to something less cruel.

They wrote and wrote and wrote.

Ed stopped his analysis when he noticed Harry's soft hissing, and glaced back quickly to see him wincing badly and often as he wrote. He  
activated tiny array after tiny array to deconstruct his nib for him. It was some relief from the torture, if only for a few moments before the  
pink toad swooped down and replaced the quill. Her beady eyes narrowed as she looked at Harry each time, something that made Ed feel a twinge of  
guilt. Then she would look at the wand sticking prominently out of Harry's backback, and she would go back to her desk.

Ed made sure he glanced away before she so much as twitched a neck muscle in his direction.

Long past sunset she told them to stop. She first walked up beside Harry's desk.

"Hand."

Harry showed her his right hand, and she took it in her stubby, ring covered fingers. After a bit, she made a little "tsk tsk." noise, and let it go. She then went to his own desk.

"Hand."

Ed curled his upper lip and glared at her. Then folded his arms across his chest.

"Seems I haven't made much of an impression on you, yet, Mr. Elric." She said, returning his gaze with an icy one of her own. The effect was  
ruined considerably by the beadiness of her eyes. "Well. There's still tomorrow."

Ed snorted.

"You may go, now. Both of you."

Ed's stomach growled loudly as soon as they were out the door.


	30. OOPS of the chappy rewrite

IGNORE ME!!!!!!

Anyhow...now chappy 29 is up again, revised, and I'm working on chappy 30. I've been searching for an announcements button, but no luck. So--chappy 30...Well, it's actually going to be ch 31, so that you all can be easily notified by email when its up. There will be something of a delay this week, only because I just HAD to go to the Gallifrey One convention this weekend. I have spent waaaay tooo much money that I don't have, and it's a blast.

Who knew one could find tribbles at a Dr. Who convention? Not me. Not to mention stuffies in the shapes of microbes. I'm still drooling over the dalek salt and pepper shakers. They're outside my budget, but they're awesome!! The only thing that would top it would be a cyberman cookie jar. Or better yet, a dalek cookie jar, set on a roomba so you would have to chase it! All the while it threatens you with 'exterminate!!' HA!!

As you can see, I'm going to have so much trouble getting Ed back into my head after all that fun stuff.

Again, THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!!!


	31. In which Ed has his third day

A/N: Got Ed back in my head..for a little while..hope it's consistant with THIS story's Ed.

So much for the promised delay; I had one heck of a writing spurt to make up for starting as late as I did.

* * *

Ed made sure he was up earlier than the rest of his roommates, and when he opened his eyes the room was still dark. His stomach was decidedly queasy at the moment, and the mere thought of food made bile rise up in his throat, but all that he knew was a side effect of delaying his need to fill it from late the night before. That was something that couldn't be helped, as the kitchens were closed when he and Harry had been dismissed from that detention with the pink toad.

As he reached groggily about the sides of the bed with his left hand, and he felt the various aches in his ports that told him the weather outside was just as miserable as it had been the day before. Long pants on, he slipped the long sleeved sweater over his head and set about locating his socks, boots, and shoes. Before he knew it, he was on the floor.

"Wha..?" Neville called out. "Ed..? That...?"

Gritting his teeth, he picked himself back up. Or tried to. Head swimming in circles, he was inclined not to move much. He eased himself up to a sitting position, wondering vaguely how he had managed to do something so..stupid...as to fall out of bed.

"Ed..? You ok, mate..?" Ron's voice called from the darkness.

"Yeah." Ed croaked out softly. "Just..fell."

He felt around behind himself, found his socks and dutifully slipped them on. They were followed by his boots. The windows were glowing with the morning sun by the time he struggled with his shoe laces, and Ed looked up at them in wonder.

'Should've had a least an hour' he thought as he climbed to his feet.

Once he was standing, he had to close his eyes a moment to stop his head from spinning. When he opened them, he noticed his hands: both were trembling. He lifted the automail one and tilted his head, watching it. It was as if the mechanical 'muscles' were as starved for fuel as the real ones were in the other hand.

"..Don't ..be a sign of rejection.." Ed said softly in Amestrian, and tried to make a fist.

He watched as the shaking fingers struggled to close fully, then he took the wrist with his left and brought both to his chest. He held his arms that way all the way to the Main Hall, where he sat down heavily at the bench for Griffindors; He was the only one there, and the fake sky above him showed the first morning rays of the rising sun. After a few moments, he laid his head onto the table and closed his eyes, trusting the the smell of food would awaken him when it arrived.

It didn't.

Hermione tapping her hand on his living shoulder did.

"Don't you have class in a few minutes?" she asked, for once not blushing when she looked at his face.

"Vhat time is it?" Ed croaked, as he lifted his head. His stomach had yet to awaken, and his nose wrinkled against the assault of strong aromas the dishes wafted his way. It took several breaths, then his stomach rumbled loudly enough that Hermione raised her eyebrows.

His hands were hanging freely between his legs, and he, groggily, brought first one, then the other to the table top and pushed himself upright. With his shaking right, he grabbed a nearby empty plate; and with his quivering left, the serving spoon for what looked like scramble eggs.

"..nearly 9. I saw Harry and Ron in the common room a bit ago."

"Food..is much more needed vright now.." Ed glanced at Hermione, and smirked. "I am not liking dhat class much anyvay."

Hermione sat down right next to him and shot a dirty look at someone he didn't care to see; Food holding his full attention.

"Ed..um..I thought I should mention..um..you forgot a few things. Your robe, AGAIN, for one..and..ah.."

Ed saw it then. The gleaming metal of his right hand: He had forgotten his gloves.

"Tch." Ed said, and slipped the hand under the table as he ate greedily with his left.

As soon as the plate was empty, he brought his right hand out again to dish up more food from the plates before him. With each mouthful he swallowed, he was feeling more like himself instead of a trembling mess twitchy muscle-- And chrome. Soon, his hands were once again steady, and he judged could hold a mug of coffee without spilling it. He poured, swigged, and nearly burned his tongue and throat with the dark liquid in his rush. He hurried off to retrieve the hated robe just as McGonagall entered the Hall, and planned to run the entire way to the stupid class he had at the place called the north tower.

He did not notice the beady eyes that watched him from the high table, nor the pink clad, toady woman that they belonged to.

* * *

Ten minutes after Ed was in Transfiguration class, he decided it was a colossal waste of time to try 'spells' with a useless 'wand', and stuffed it back into his back pocket. He then took out two sheets of blank paper from his notebook, and drew the first of his equations on them. These, he placed on either side of his table. He picked up his reality-entrenched snail, and placed it in the center of one array.

With a bright wide smile aimed at Hermione, Ron, and Harry, Ed activated the array with a touch. Blue lightning cracked from the paper, dancing across the circle, and Ed heard many gasps in the room. Ed raised his gloved hand slightly away from the outer containment circle on the paper and watched the snail as the equation took its course. He frowned...

"Mr Elric, Whatever are you doing?" Professor McGonagall snapped.

Ed heard numerous snickers in the class, as if a certain group were just waiting for this very confrontation. He glanced at her as he chucked the piece of now mollusk!gut covered paper into the rubbish, fully expecting to get another detention from yet another teacher.

"Only vorking vith vhat I know." Ed said in irritation.

"Explain to me this instant why you are not following my explicit instructions that I gave the class yesterday?"

Ed reached into his back pocket and withdrew the 'wand'..little more than a fancily carved piece of ivory...that he had received as a substitute for a real wand, and handed it to her. He remained silent, and in spite of himself, stood at parade rest at his end of the table as he watched the stern woman.

She pointed the 'wand' upwards, tip towards the ceiling. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"I see.." She said. "when did he say yours would be ready for you?"

"A year."

She then glanced down and really looked closely at his work on the sheet of paper across from him with a slight smile ghosting on her face. She peered at him at length and he saw her face was once again its usual stern self.

"How.. safe.. is this, Mr. Elric?"

Ed snorted.

"As safe as dhat vone on your vall. If dhe odhers keep clear of my table, dhe risk is only to myself, and only if I calculate vrongly."  
Professor Mcgonagall's eyebrows lowered slightly.

"Cal-culate... wrongly?" She said as if tasting the words.

Ed tilted his head.

"I check my vork much more carefully now dhan vhen I was a child."

She frowned, and Ed calmly met her gaze. He watched as her eyes softened..just a little.

"Very well. As a precaution, do move this..exercise.. to the back area. Carry on there. "

Ed nodded and took up his papers, relieved to be allowed to continue on with his work.

Once there, Ed settled on the floor cross-legged. He tore out another sheet of paper from his notebook, and proceeded to easily draw out a circle on it. He then got to work on the equation within, tweaking the amplifying runes, letting the music of Alchemy guide him along in brief spurts.

By the end of Transfiguration class, all the equations he had carefully calculated from the day before for the 'vanishing' snail ended up with new and ever more disgusting ways to destroy the creature within one circle's boundaries, instead of transporting it within the boundaries of another.

Overall, he felt it a good use of his time.

* * *

Ed had another chance to visit the library during lunch, and continued on from where he remembered he left off, as the pile of books had been cleared by the librarian. He had another small pile of his discards at his feet by the time she wondered by. He looked up in time for her to give him a rather hard look and a frown. She looked like she wanted to give him something of a stern lecture, but, by then, he had to be off to his next class. He smiled widely and waved at her as he walked off.

* * *

The Care of Magical Creatures class bored him greatly. Ed began toying with arrays that could reverse the chimera process in his notebook.

'Riiiight..there's no way I'd ever try these on a living being...' He thought as he developed the equations, careful to encode them as he went. He was about to turn back to the 'vanishing snail' task, when he suddenly felt a tickle in his chest.

"Diffindo..!" he heard, and the voice was in a loud whisper.

He looked up just in time to see Malfoy abruptly lift and deftly twirl his wand in his fingers.

Ed narrowed his eyes, then flicked them around. Sure enough, his two biggest cronies loomed just behind him, close enough to cast shadows. And others surrounded the table, looking at him in a decidedly unfriendly way. He closed his notebook with his left, and weaved his gloved fingers together before his chin; his golden gaze locked onto Malfoy's.

"Nice arm." Malfoy said with a sneer. Several of the cronies snickered.

Ed flicked his eyes to the right and down. The sleeves of both his robe and his sweater beneath were just gone...no..they looked like they were pinned just under his metal elbow on the table; His entire metal arm was exposed up to the port in his shoulder. He looked back.

"Cooler dhan skin." Ed said smoothly. Balanced equation shining in his mind, he shifted his right leg so that he straddled the bench, and placed his metal palm flat to the table.

"What's the.."

"Slitheryns?"

"Got to be Malfoy!"

"'Ione?"

"What you reckon he's.."

Warming energy circulated through him, and from the corner of his eye, he saw the two big goons unfold their arms from across their chests. He showed no reaction to the towering figures behind him, choosing to let them assume he didn't know they were there that close to his back.

"H-hey..where's..?" Ron said.

The insect-human chimeras on the table ran away in terror in all directions, jumping to the ground and running off to the underbrush of the trees. At the same time, the first of the hammy hands of the goons began its descent towards Ed's defenseless back.

Ed went into motion.

He caught the descending hand with his left and shifted his grip ever so slightly so that he had only the thumb in just the right spot and applied the pressure he needed. The goon immediately hissed and staggered, and Ed stood up, still gripping the thumb, noting all around him towered over him by at least a foot.

Ed lowered his brows slightly in annoyance.

Ed turned to face the goon and took a single step, one that took him both away from the bench and between the two goons. His right hand came up, mostly to steady the goon's chest. Smoothly, he ducked, heaved with his back and living shoulder, and at a certain calculated point, released the thumb before he managed to break or dislocate any bones.

The goon crashed to the table, stunned-- weight enough to crack the wood--landing on his back at the same time Ed easily pivoted and had both hands on goon number two. Wand hand wrist gripped in his left, Ed squeezed at a pressure point and made the wand fall from the limp grasp. Then, he the simply shifted his weight with another step and tossed the goon to the ground at his feet, using the captured arm like a lever.

"...Ed..?"

Ed held onto the thumb, and straddled over the goon, forcing him to turn to his back. He moved the capture thumb upwards, and glanced down at the goons face. By the grimmace of pain he saw, he knew he had the goon's full attention. He then looked to Draco Malfoy's shocked face, who was standing on the other side of the benchlike wooden table.

"T-ten points from Griffindor!" Malfoy called out loudly. "F-fighting!!"

Ed snorted in disgust, stepped to the side and released his grip on the goon's arm. It fell nearly limply to the ground.

"...all right you lot, back off." Ed knew the voice as Professor Grubbly-Plank.

By the time she managed to push her way through the crowd of onlookers, goon number one shook his head and struggled to sit up; Goon number two was barely pushing himself up from the dirt. Ed had his notebook back in his hand, taken from where he had placed it on the table, as she looked over the situation with wide blinking eyes.

"What happened..?"

"He..he just..attacked them..!" Malfoy said, pointing at Ed.

Goon number one slipped just then to land with hard bang! on the bench, and Ed glanced longingly to the scraps of cloth that fell beneath the table. He did not fail to see "The Look" was on the Professor's face when she saw his entire metal arm, an expression somewhere between horror and pity.

"Nodhing... vreally important." Ed said, and looked away. He shook out his free hand to disperse the energy still flowing his his body, and he glanced around to the crowd surrounding him, picking out the few people he did know. Neville's face also had "The Look", even though he already knew about his arm. As did quite a few others. Ed swallowed and looked back at the Professor.

"I..may I go?" Ed said.

"No..You..and these two..owe me an explanation."

"Fine." Ed snapped. "Dhis is between me and dhem. "

"Young man...!" Grubby-plank's voice barked.

"Ed..?" Harry's voice. "..Wasn't this..um.. just a demonstration of..uh... "

It didn't help that Harry was just one more face in the crowd filled with faces that had "The Look". Ed shot his scowl in Harry's direction, at under which Harry stopped speaking.

"Harry.." Ed growled. "....stay out of dhis." Ed looked back in time to see the Professor fold her arms and frown.

"I see... Detentions ARE in order, then. Crabbe, Goyle..I'll see you tonight. Be ready for LOADS of walking...It'll do you both good. Elric..See me after class. I understand you have a week's worth of detentions already so..."

Ed bobbed his head in a small nod, but didn't listen to the rest. Instead, he slid his scowl to the one he held responsible for this mess. He only caught the barest glimpse of the boy-child as he slipped behind the crowd.

* * *

He had changed into a long sleeved shirt, and grabbed another hated robe in the short break he had before dinner. His stomach growling loudly once again as he appproached the table with his knapsack in hand. Many of the Griffindors opened their eyes wide in alarm. Some abuptly got up and moved away from him as he sat at the bench, leaving only Harry, Hermione, and Ron as his willing companions at the meal that night. Ed quietly grabbed an empty plate with a gloved hand.

"Aren't you..y'know.." Harry said and glared at his fellow Griffindors.

Ed glanced at Harry as he dished his choices to his plate.

"No. I am not bothered by dhis...childish behavior." Ed managed a smile. "I find dhe stories dhey make up funny. Much better dhan seeing dhe..um..."

Ed swallowed, and forked a potato. As he chewed, he grabbed an extra muffin or two that he slipped into the bag after a quick glance to the high table.

"bah wat..?" Ron said, mouth stuffed full with food.

Ed turned back and flexed his right hand into a fist that he set beside his plate. Then continued to eat with his left.

"Ron..!"

"Wha.?" Ron said after he swallowed some juice.

"Just..nevermind." Hermione said.

Ron looked at her with suspicious, narrowed eyes.

"Honestly..! You won't get it even if I told you.."

Ron looked at Harry then.

Harry shrugged, frowned, and threw his hands up in the air in surrender.

"So..what's Umbridge got you two doing?" Ron said.

Harry frowned and looked down abruptly, as if his dinner was the most interesting thing to be examining. Ed glanced to Harry, and shrugged.

"Lines." Ed said, and grabbed another muffin.

"At least it's only lines." Hermione said. "I can only imagine what Grubbly-Plank will have you do for your detention with her. She has the entire forest to take care of. Last time we had one in that class, we had to track down an injured unicorn for Hagrid. In the middle of the night..!"

"That..wasn't fair of her. It was all Malfoy..I know he.." Harry said. "Your arm. I mean, it was such a.."

"Does not matter." Ed said. "iz.. my trouble, not yours."

"Trust me." Harry said. "You're not alone when it comes to Draco Malfoy. Time to go."

Ed turned to Ron and handed him his knapsack.

"Keep dhis for me?"

"Uh..sure. Why?"

"I vwill be needing them later." Ed said.

Ron looked at him with confusion painted over his face, but took the bag.

Ed turned and wordlessly accompanied Harry all the way to the toad woman's door.

* * *

Detention number two wasn't much different that the first, except for a few details. The toad had Ed remove both gloves and roll up both sleeves before having him sit down. And she spent much more time watching him with her beady eyes. When they were dismissed, it was again well past sunset, and this time, a wave of dizziness hit him as soon as he stepped out the door. He managed to steady himself before Harry joined him.

Together, they walked in silence down the hall. When they rounded the corner, and Ed suddenly staggered and leaned his shoulder heavily against the wall: trying to will the dizziness away once more with all his might. His eyes closed against the spinning sensation, he had his left hand rubbing small circles at his temples. When Harry grabbed and slipped his right arm across his shoulders, Ed didn't have the energy to complain or fight.

"I know it had to be you doing that...quill-tip dissolving jinx. But..why're you..?"

"..Like dhis?" Ed said, and held up his left arm where the lines had been scratched. The skin raw and red. "dhink about it...." Ed blinked in wonder at the portrait of the fat lady. "..Here alvready?"

"Took a short cut I know." Harry said with a small, tired smile. "Mimbulus Mimbletonia."

The portrait swung open and Harry held on to his arm just past the entrance, where Ed swung his arm up and away in favor of firmly grabbing a chair back with his mismatched hands. Once there, Ed blinked a slow blink, and fixed his gaze to the top of staircase that led to the dorms.

"No..don't you even."

"Vhat."

"I want to be able to talk to you, and when you do that..thing..You shut out every..Tell me..why are you like this?"

Ed looked over at Harry, and half grimmaced.

"You vreally can't figure it out for yourself?"

"Obviously..or why would I ask?"

Ed shook his head, an action he immediately regretted because it make the dizziness even worse, and rubbed his temples again with his left hand. Giving up on the stairs for now, he flopped down on the nearest chair.

"Dhink. Harry. Vhat have ve been vrighting vith for dhat toad woman for the past two days?"

"Blood..but.."

Ed nodded and leaned his head back into the chair. He closed his eyes, wanting so much to go to sleep right then and there.

"Ed..? Stay with me...come on now. Talk.."

Ed opened his eyes slowly.

"Dhese." Ed lifted his right arm, and looked at it as though he had just installed it. Flexing the metal fingers one by one. "Half my body...but dhey do not have blood..." Ed looked at Harry, and raised his eyebrows. ".. understand now?" Ed said.

"No. no I don.." Harry said, then his eyes widened. "S-she's killing you...Ed..we..!"

Ed snorted.

"Just need food." Ed said, "I vill be fine. Fact is: made it vorse by using the blood to boost vreactions. only vay to reach across vroom vith such small arrays..."

Ed heard stomping sounds as soon as he had said "food". And it wasn't until he said "arrays" that he noticed Harry was nearly to the top of the stairs. Ed sniffed in amusement.

"think..he needs sleep..for tomorrow.." he thought.. Then his eyes fluttered shut.


	32. of Blood and Equivalent Exchange

A/N:HA! finally got some Ed BA in, and I hope you like it.

* * *

Harry took the stairs at a dead run, knapsack held firmly by its strap in one hand. When he saw Ed slumped in the chair, head fallen forward so that it lay awkwardly on his chest, he really wanted to take him off to the hospital wing right then. He dropped the knapsack to the floor in front of the chair, and closely watched Ed's chest...Only daring to breathe himself when he saw a slight rise, followed by a fall.

'Just asleep...' Harry thought. 'He's too heavy for me to lift all that way alone. That arm weighs a ton. Maybe I could float him there?'

Harry chewed his lip, about to go back to the room for his invisibility cloak, when his scar seared with pain. He could only hiss and slap a hand to it. Feelings of sheer frustration and anger filled him, and he skewed up his eyes as the scar seemed to burn the fingers of his hand.

Then..it just stopped. Leaving Harry gasping at air and more than a bit confused.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself looking at the unruly mess of blond hair that was on Ed's slumped head. He felt increadibly tired; drained, really. The incantation for the float spell was nowhere in his brain, no matter how hard he chased after it in his head.

'Just sleep.' Harry thought. 'I..I think I'll watch over him. Just for now. 'til someone wakes up, or I remember the spell. Or something..'

Not wanting to define the 'something' even to himself, he eased his hand down to his side. Then, he changed his mind; He reached over, and gently lifted Ed's chin just enough to set the blond's head so that it rested somewhat against the chair wing. It was still awkward to look at, but Harry thought he might have saved Ed from a rather stiff neck when he awoke.

Harry then sat down and took out his homework, of which he had amassed a rather ungodly amount during the past few days. Snape's essay on moonstones was first on his long list, as he didn't relish having to recieve a detention from the man just over not handing in an assignment. He was nearly finished with it, and knew it to be an abysmal job, when he heard Ed's voice mumble something in that language of his.

Harry looked, half-hoping Ed had woken up. His stomach sank a bit when he saw that Ed's lids were still absolutely closed.

"Ed..?" Harry said anyway. "Wake up for me?"

"Alphonse..?"

"Ed..come on. Wake up." Harry said. "You've got to eat something, 'member..? I've got.." Harry rummaged in the knapsack, and grabbed a muffin. This, he held out under Ed's chin. "I've got something for you to eat."

Ed's eyes didn't open, but eerily both of his hands reached for the outstretched muffin. At the same time, Ed's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Al..? ..Englich..?"

"I'm not.." Harry said, then instantly regretted saying it as Ed hands slowly lowered.

"Talk vith me...!" Ed breathed, nearly pleading.

"Ed. Just...Eat that. Come on now."

"A-al..?" Ed whimpered, and folded his arms about himself, metal one gripping the flesh of the living forearm. Then the whimper became something else..much like.. like babbling, only in a high whine. Harry could only pick out a few words from the jumbled mess that came out of Ed's mouth. "I'm sorry..I so sorry..i can't..i can't .. people... mean nodhing.. I can't. I can't..."

"Ed..?" Harry said, feeling quite unnerved that Ed, of all people, whimpered at all.

'What am I supposed to do..?' Harry thought.

Ed brought his legs up to the chair, forcing Harry to back up a bit to keep from being kicked or kneed. He couldn't quite remember which one was the metal one, so decided to pretend both were just to be safe. Ed continued on with his whimpering babble. "..you h-hate me...have to..."

Harry watched helplessly as a metal finger began tracing the round shaped, scabbed over scar. He grabbed the hand to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard he tugged. The scar was oozing blood within a few traces, and Harry could clearly see that it actually had a pattern to it. Something like a triangle within a circle..only not. And it was..if anything, precise.

'Like those circles he drew on paper in McGonagall's class today..'

Knowing well Ed couldn't afford to loose any more blood..Harry knew he had no choice. He went for his wand in his bookbag, pointed it, and focused on the spell he needed. Then, he took a steadying breath.

"Ennervate!" He said firmly, and let the spell fly.

Harry saw Ed's back arch a fraction of a second before the spell struck. But strike him it did. Ed didn't exactly fall from the chair, but he did land on his hands and knees on the ground, nearly crushing the contents of his knapsack beneath him.

"Vha dhe s..tsssst! Ooow!!" Ed lifted his left arm and looked at it with a grimmace on his face.

"Awake now?"

Ed snapped his gaze to Harry and glared, gold eyes burning with an inner light of fury.

"No shit..! Fuck!" Ed reached back and pulled himself back up to the chair with his right arm, carefully holding his left out in front of him. "Never heal at dhis rate...just keep opening dhe fukken dhing..."

Ed gingerly rolled his sleeve down, wincing now and then as it covered scar. Then, he carefully placed his metal palm down on it and held it there.

Harry lowered his wand and sat down. Once Ed stopped muttering what could only be obscenities, Harry looked at him.

"I was beginning to think you couldn't feel any pain."

Ed glanced, or rather, glared at him.

"Tch! Of course I feel pain." Ed snapped. "I'm human aren't I?"

"Could you tell me how you got that..?"

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Look, it's an honest question. I'll tell you how I got this.." Harry brushed back his bangs from his forehead, and pointed at the lightening shaped scar. "..in exchange, alright?"

Ed smirked.

"Not vreally equivalent. Nearly everyvone here has spoken about dhat alvready." Ed said. "A lot."

Harry frowned.

"Moldy-shorts did dhat to you vhen you vere baby, and vhatever-it-vas-he-did rebounded on him instead." Ed continued and tentively lifted his metal palm to look at the scar. "Goot..didn't go too deep dhis time.." He muttered, then reached into the knapsack and removed a muffin.

Harry blinked and looked down, trying to figure what to trade. He was sure there would be something Ed would demand before he would tell him anything, but his mind was running in circles about moonstones and their uses in potions. Harry was feeling rather impatient, and frowned as he watched Ed eat, wanting more than anything that Ed would tell him something. Instead, he watched Ed as he finished one muffin and reached for another. Halfway through that one, Harry spoke up, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears. Like someone else was speaking.

"So..are you going to tell me?"

Ed swallowed the bite he had taken, and smacked his lips together. Then, he glanced down at the scar.

"It translates to somedhink like 'blood signal'. No..'seal'. 'Blood seal'." Ed said, and kept his eyes down. "I vas desperate. I drew a total of six to ..trying to save my brodher's life. Dhis is dhe only vone that left a scar."

"Blood. Seal." Harry said, the words sounding odd when put together like that to his ears. He knew he had never heard of such a thing, in either the Muggle or Magic sides of the world. Baffled at the explanation, he scratched his nose.

"And you say something like that... is science?"

"Yeah.." Ed said, and he looked at Harry once more. "Studied it my whole life..Makes you feel..."

Ed lips stretched a little, stopping somewhere between a smirk and a frown. "...like you ARE magic. Very advanced back.."

Ed swallowed, frowned and looked away suddenly. Harry got the sense that Ed almost let SOMETHING slip.

"Ed..?" Harry said. Ed looked back at Harry.

"I..um..You have many dhings here like it, but..um..not like it is..uh..back home."

"'Back home..?'" Harry said...then remembered Ed said he didn't have one, and his face skewed up in confusion again.

Ed's brows tilted upwards, just for a moment. Then Ed shook his head again and looked away. "Nevermind..forget it.."

"Well?" Harry said. But Ed remained silent, even as he occasionally glanced down at the scar. Harry sat back in a huff, not entirely sure why Ed's behavor made him upset. It certainly wasn't the first time Ed kept things from him.

"Brilliant. You at least have quite a dream to record down for Trelawney from what I saw."

"Not. Eben!" Ed said loudly, and Harry grinned and patted the air. "Iz not her buzness vhat iz.."

"Quiet down. It's past 2, Ed. Don't want to wake anyone."

Ed angrily chomped down on the remainder of the muffin and glared at the air located roughly to the side of Harry's shoulder. Harry found he was glad it wasn't actually directed at himself, especially now that it looked like Ed was feeling better that he had when they left detention together. He didn't want to end up getting punched.

He happily recalled the image of Crabbe and Goyle to his mind, both bullies laying flat on their backs, exactly as he had seen them at the end of Care of Magical Creatures class. He smiled as he scribbled down something for the care of bowtruckles, and smirked through his scribbling down the answers for McGonagall.

* * *

Ed didn't get much sleep after he went to bed, but at least he didn't tumble out when he reached for his change of clothes. The fact that his both his hands were steady told him that the food he had snuck out of the dining hall had done its job.

He got up and dragged himself through his isometrics at the break of dawn. Working silently through the aches that told him the weather outside was, once again, foul.

The rest of the day passed by like a routine that he could have slept through, and, in the case of the incredibly dull 'History of Magic' class, he did manage to nod off within five minutes of sitting down. 'Potions' gave him something of a challenge: Having to do alchemy by hand, with a cooking pot of all things, was a bit maddening after knowing of several arrays that could do the same thing with less effort. Ed had to admit it was entertaining to see Severus' sneer mask crack ever so slightly, a slight rise of an eyebrow, as he coldly looked down his nose at his work at the end of class. It vanished quickly, making Ed question if he had seen it at all.

'Is the man a ham' Ed thought. 'Or what?'

He snuck food out once again, entrusting Ron with his bag, and headed to his next detention with the Toad. She again had him remove both gloves, and roll up his sleeves before having him begin. He did notice that her beady eyes widened slightly when she saw the fresh scabs on his scar, and her fingers flexed ever so slightly.

Ed wrinkled his nose, flopped to the chair, and turned about to begin the task. Quill in hand, he continued his analysis of the thing as he wrote. Slowing losing blood to the scroll as it carved his rather long sentence on his flesh arm. The letters, and the letters that could be used as arrays, stayed longer than they did the previous night. Ed hardly noticed when they no longer faded; the pain pushed well back from his awareness. Focused on the mystery of the quill's makeup, he was vaguely aware of the Toad's girlish voice.

"Ah" she said. "That ought to serve as a reminder to you..both. Oughtn't it?" She moved around her desk and reached for Ed's arm. Ed immediately dropped the quill, and folded both arms across his chest. Her outstretched arm stopped just short of touching, hovering, almost lovingly, over the few letters visible on the back of his living hand.

She then looked over to Harry, and licked her lower lip. She moved over to him instead and took up his right hand, examining the letters carved there with great interest. "You may leave for tonight."

"Do I still have to come back tomorrow?" Said Harry, picking up his schoolbag with his left hand.

"Oh yes." Said Professor Umbridge, smiling widely. "I think we can etch the message a little deeper with another evening's work."

Ed unfolded his arms, and stood himself. The world spun about him almost immediately, and he closed his eyes. He concentrated on just breathing: Strong, even breaths. When he opened his eyes, he saw, thankfully, he was still standing, sort of, and the sickly pink room was its proper, solid self. He realised he had caught himself from falling; Both of his hands were splayed on the table before him.

He followed Harry out the door. They were close to Griffindor Tower when the next dizzy spell hit, and he staggered into a wall, hitting it solidly with a clunk! with his right port. He braced himself upright with his left, as the flesh leg wasn't obeying him as well as his automail was. He again rubbed is temples with his left, trying to focus past the dizziness enough to make it up the stairs.

"Old hag! ..Help me take him to the hospital wing!" Ron's voice.

Ed blinked. He knew he missed most of what was going on around him as he looked up past his palm to see Ron's face looking at him with wide, even concerned, eyes. And what was that with him? A... broom?

"No." Ed said softly. "No..hospitals. Vill be fine."

"Hate to break it to you, Ed." Ron said. "You don't look all that..."

"Dhey vill vant to examine me. Poke me vith very..." Ed shivered "..very sharp needles. No. I vill be fine. Just. Need food."

"Ed.." Harry said. "You can't even walk..."

"If you take me to hospital.. I know I vill be kept overnight at the least. Dhen dhey vill..Look at me...vant to call my..my mechanic..It vill be..just a mess." Ed said, as he braced his right hand flat to the wall he was leaning on. Right arm obeying his will, he pushed off the wall and locked his legs. The left doing better than the living right. He placed his hand on the wall once more to steady himself.

Ed looked over to Harry. "Harry..You vant to go to dhat..quiddy thing..tomorrow, vright?"

Harry's eyes brighted, then he glanced over at Ron, who shifted his hold on the broom ever so slightly. He looked back at Ed with raised brows, and a question clearly written on his face.

"Iz but matter of Equivalent Exchange." Ed said as he tapped a metal finger to the scar on his left, thinking even this much must be only too obvious.

"What..?" Ron said.

"Ve talk later." Ed said. "But..No hospital. Not tonight."

"Ed.."

"Harry. I vreally..just need food now."

Both Ron and Harry helped him up the stairs to the Griffindor tower. The common room was not a haven, not that night. It contained far too many students for Ed's liking, so he jerked his head to the stairs that led to the dorms as soon as they were past the entrance. He knew they were drawing eyes..as well as questions..walking in like a six legged creature for no apparent reason. He was too tired and dizzy to really deal with either.

* * *

When Ed awoke, well past sunrise, his stomach complained loudly, acting much like an alarm clock.

He lifted his head and looked around. Yes..there were many wrappers of various descriptions about the covers of his bed, and those certainly looked like crumbs dusted all over.

He heard the others in the dorm stirring, and groaned.

"Crap..too late for a shower." He muttered in Amestrian. He rubbed at the ache in his right port as he reached for the curtain, then stopped. His right arm gleamed in the sullen light of the morning; He was no longer IN the long sleeved shirt.

He looked down..he was, in fact, in his black muscle shirt..the one he had on the day before. The one with the wide collar that showed the bolts and various surgery scars at his neck and clavicle.

His long sleeved shirt was wrapped about his left forearm, acting something like a protective bandage.

Confused, he sat up, rubbed at his eyes with one knuckle of his left, and yawned.

"Morning" chimed Neville's voice. It was cheerful yet sleepy.

Ed looked over, and was amazed that 'THE LOOK' was no longer on his round face; It was something that had lingered since Wednesday, when he had been a witness to Ed's fight with Crabbe and Goyle. Ed nodded a small nod in response, and said "Morning." in return.

He glanced about and saw instantly the same could not be said of Dean's or Seamus's faces, and frowned slightly, though he did note they did make a considerable effort to cover it up, or at least not stare. He nodded to them and then to Harry and Ron.

'Wait 'til they learn about the leg..' nagged an inner voice as he gathered his clothes to change into. He drew the curtains, and quickly got the day started.

* * *

Five o'clock rolled around, and both Ed and Harry were once again knocking on the Toad woman's door. They entered together when they were told to.

As he sat before the blank parchment and pointed black quill on the lace covered table, Harry found himself wondering just what Ed was planning.

He was both greatly concerned over Ed, knowing well he couldn't loose much more blood without passing out completely by just standing up, and dearly wished to witness if it would be Ron who'd make the team at the tryouts this year. Both were oddly equally important in his mind, though he knew, just knew in his head, that Ed was the one taking a much much bigger risk.

Unless mere death really wasn't worse than utter, complete embarrassment before one's peers..

They began writing.

Harry's cut dug deeper. Stinging and smarting.

I must not tell lies

I must not tell lies

Blood tricked down his wrist onto the parchment.

I must not tell lies

I must not tell lies

He looked up whenever he thought he could risk it. Those dark figures swooping about the three goal posts..Whoever was defending the goalposts was doing a very poor job indeed. He hoped that Keeper wasn't Ron.

There was a distinctive clank! across the room. And Harry's stomach flipped and sank at the same time. He glanced at the sound and saw Ed slumped on his own lace covered table. Left hand hanging limply down his side, and sharp black quill lay innocently on the floor beneath. Harry could even see blood as it dribbled down from what had to be his own carved in sentence on his arm.

"Mr. Elric? Now's not the time for you to be sleeping." Came the honey sweet voice of Professor Umbridge.

Ed did not move in response.

Drip drip

drip drip.

"Mr. Elric..? Sit up this instant."

Drip drip

drip drip.

Harry thought 'Gone horribly wrong if this was..' as he got up from his chair and went to him. But before he could so much as touch him...

"Sit back down. Now. Carry on with your lines." Professor Umbridge said as she rose from her own chair and swooped around over to Ed's table. She looked him over, then reached out with her short, be-ringed fingers for his dangling left arm. There was no resistance at all to her touch as she lifted it, something which Harry knew Ed had to find repulsive to receive from most people, but especially so from the pink toad if the past few days were anything to judge by.

"Oh dear." she said in a sweetly girlish voice. "How unfortunate."

"You killed him..." Harry said. "You..you killed him..."

"Mr. Potter.."

The sound was very slight, but Harry heard it most clearly. It was a groan, and it was indeed coming from Ed.

"There now..we're all.."

Ed jerked up out of the chair so fast Harry had a hard time figuring out exactly what he did. All he knew was this: Umbridge slammed her back against the wall by his lace covered table, face set in a sort of panicked surprise; Both the lace covered table, AND the chair he sat in, fell over with a rather large crash; And Ed himself was in something of a crouch, both hands up in that martial arts pose he had seen during the summer months, his back against Umbridge's large, and quite solid desk, breathing loudly.

Right then he was saying SOMETHING in that language of his, and his golden eyes scanned the room in a kind of sleepy daze. He wiped his chin with his quivering left hand, and his legs seemed to give out from beneath him, making him fall to his behind.

"Vhat..vhat happened?" Ed gasped as he looked around him.

"You went out." Harry said softly. "Again."

"Vas..?"

"Mr. Potter, turn about."

Harry glared at the toad woman, who was regaining something of her composure and chose to fiddle with her pink sweater sleeves. With great reluctance, Harry turned about and faced the wall.

"Now..Mr. Elric.. could you tell me.."

"I tell YOU nodhing." Ed said vehemently, making an awful lot of noise, banging into the desk with what had to be one of his metal parts..Harry could only guess it was the arm. There was the sound of papers being scattered and the thumps of several more things hitting the ground as if from a height. He glanced quickly and saw Ed was actually trying to stand, but kept falling back or slipping, just so, before he found his balance.

"Mr. Potter..you were saying this was not the first time Mr. Elric..went 'out of it'?"

"We tried to taking him to the wing several times. He.."

"Shut it, Harry." Ed said. "Iz not her buziness."

"She's needs to know, Ed."

"Shut it!!" Ed gasped.

"But..She's killing you... "

"Mr. Elric? I believe you have something you should be telling me. No..make that I know there is something you ought to be telling me."

Ed's gasping breaths were the only sound for a while. Harry tried to catch Ed's eyes, but Ed was looking at the floor.

"You 'Ministry Appointed Instructor'." Ed said in a whisper, and Harry saw him bang his metal fist to the floor over and over. "Figure it out for yourself."

"I..see..." She said at length, voice very girly and sugary. "Mr. Elric, your time with me is done. I will take you to that hospital wing myself."

"I am get dhere on my own legs." Ed said, as he pulled himself up, using the now cleared desk as a brace. "I vill have no more of you. Ministry Appointed Instructor."

"Very well." She said, and Harry had to look away as she slipped behind her desk to her chair. "I believe I have fulfilled by duties as far as you are concerned, Mr. Elric. For now."

Harry heard Ed grunt. There was a shuffling kind of noise, and Harry glanced back to see that the source of the sound was Ed's feet, as he practically dragged them along as he walked. Once he was on the other side of the door, and it was almost closed, Ed looked directly at him, held up a familiar wrapper, and gave a little wink.

Then, he slammed the door shut with a loud bang!...

Harry didn't know what to think, and looked back at the wall. That wrapper looked an awful lot like.

'..Fainting Fancies..?' Harry thought, and hope rose within him.

The sun was still up and Quiddich tryouts were still on. Harry picked up his quill, and just as the nib touched the parchment..

The entire room was engulfed in glowing blue archs that looked a lot like electric bolts. Harry couldn't begin to count them all, and certainly couldn't tell where, exactly they were coming from. He jumped out of his own chair and backed up to the door, covering his head with his arms. Blinded by the light, he couldn't tell what was going on at all. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped.

He lifted his arms and looked around. What caught his eye immediately was the...box..where Umbridge's desk had been. It stretched from floor to ceiling, walls smooth and looking like it was made solidly of wood. The corners each had a sculpture of what looked like a bull, only with very very sharp teeth and fangs--no..those HAD to be tusks, fangs were shorter, right? Each also sported a pair of bat wings that neatly outlined..

He squinted. Right along the top on each side were a series of small holes lined up neatly. It was like it was a giant..bug jar or something. It was through those holes that he heard what could only be the toad woman.

"Professor Umbridge? Are you alright?" Harry called out.

"Let me out! Let me out this instant!!" She was demanding between incoherent screams.

"I..don't know how." Harry said.

"IDIOT CHILD!! Then go GET someone who does!!" She yelled.

"I.." Harry thought about it..Then... "I think Professor McGonagall's at the tryout..she'll be the best for.."

"JUST GO!!!"

Harry smiled widely, and left without a second thought or trace of regret.


	33. Repaying a debt

A/N: Been wracking my brain for where I want to take this next. Logic won, since I've working in the public schools. I think this will officially wean me off the OotP book now...although I believe there will be references to it. I think Ed has now officially taken over the story; he's easier to follow around in-world anyway.

* * *

Ed was not in the hospital wing when Harry returned from the Quidditch field with Professor Mcgonagall, well after dark when the tryouts were over. Nor was he collapsed somewhere in the corridors on the way there as Harry had feared. He returned to Umbridges' room, and knocked on the open door.

"Potter." Professor McGonagall's officious voice called.

He could see she was had several pieces of parchment in her hands. She was peering at them closely with narrowed eyes, and clearly ignoring the screaming yells of Professor Umbridge in the box thing beside her. Harry waited for her to lift her head and look at him.

"Well, Potter?" She said crisply, as she turned her head to the next sheet.

"Wasn't there." Harry said.

"Thank you, you may go."

Ed hadn't returned to the common room by the time the after party the team held for Ron began. George and Fred soon rounded about Harry, and dragged every last detail from him with great enthusiasm.

"Fantastic! "

"This'll be the best publicity yet!"

The last person to join them was Hermione. She smiled at the news that Ron made the team, said "Brilliant! Well done." quite happily, then flopped onto her favorite chair by the fire and sipped her butterbeer. By the time Harry glanced at her again, she was dozing, and her butterbeer was tipping. He sat down next to her and she jerked awake.

"Oh it's you, Harry. Great news about Ron, isnt' it?"

"Yeah. Great. listen Hermione..have you seen Ed?"

"Yeah..He came in the library as I left. He's not back?"

"Haven't seen him. He..um.." Harry then rubbed his left over the still stinging words carved into the back of his hand. "Umbridge had him writing longer sentences than me, and he, um, the past few days he wasn't doing so well..and.."

"Oh, no. He--he doesn't have half his.." Hermione said hurriedly in a whispered gasp. "Thought he looked a bit of pale, but...that awful horrible..I just didn't think of.."

"He was supposed to go to the hospital wing, 'iome. If he made it all the way to the library, he might be...ok..?"

The portait door swung open just then, and Harry glanced up to see who entered. As did many others. By the calls of 'Elric!' coming from the twins, Harry felt relieved. He watched as Ed marched up the stairs that led to the boy's dorms, without a single look at anyone who called his name or invited him to the festivities.

"Not the friendliest bloke is he?" Harry heard muttered. It was one of the Quiddich team members.

Harry's scar began prickling, and he left the party soon after. 'It IS late.' Harry thought as he rubbed at the scar in irritation. Once in the dorm, he saw that the curtains of Ed's bed were drawn closed.

When the next morning arrived, he awoke to barely remembering his dream, something to do with a corridor and a door; Harry was surprised that he was the first to awaken. The morning sun's light, fresh and bright, shined through the windows.

'Strange. Ed's usually up by now.' Harry thought.

He hesitated by Ed's bed for a few moments before he headed out to write a letter, and listened carefully to the soft snores from behind the drawn curtains. He really wasn't wanting to get punched by a sleep-dazed Ed, which he thought was more than likely to happen should he try to awaken him. Especially this early, on a Saturday of all days.

Harry then went out to the common room to begin his daunting task.

* * *

Ed had on his usual long sleeved shirt, vest, long pants, and boots. Pocket watch chain hooked on the front loop. Too tired to bother braiding his long hair, he chose to stuff it back into a ponytail instead. He leaned his chin onto his hand soon after he flopped to the bench in the Great Hall. Golden eyes barely open, he greeted Hermione, Ron, and Harry with but a grunt. Then he reached for the coffee pot.

He didn't bother with a mug. He nearly scalded his throat in the process, but when finished, he thunked down the empty pot onto the table. He looked about wistfully for another when his stomach growled loudly, and he instead began to load up a plate with food. He ignored the falling post about him in favor of the scrambled eggs and bits of bread.

"Oh, no! Sirius..!" Hermione gasped. Ed glanced up. "

"What happened?" Harry said

"The Ministry of Magic has received a tip off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer..."

"VHAT??" Ed said loudly and looked hard at Hermione, who kept on reading in an anguished whisper.

"..is currently hiding in London.."

"Lucius Malfoy..I'll bet any.."

"SIRIUS is a MURDERER??" Ed gasped, and glared at first Harry, then Ron, and finally at Hermione.

"Shhh...keep it down, Ed." Harry said with a patting motion in the air. "It's a long story..but no, he's.."

Ed slammed his right fist to the table.

"Just. TELL me."

Harry returned his glare from behind his glasses.

"You've kept things from us, Ed, so why should I?"

"DHAT's not..!"

"Shh. Read for yourself." Hermione interrupted, before Ed could really gain volume. She held out the paper to Ed. Ed scowled but took it.

"..dhirteen people..." Ed read aloud in a near whisper, and frowned. Then, he handed the paper back briskly to Hermione and turned back to his eggs.

"He just won't be able to leave the house again. Dumbledore told him not to." Hermione said as she folded her paper and then looked fearfully at Ron and Harry. Harry pointed out another article, which Ron and Hermione discussed with some excitement. Ed pretended to be too focused on his chewing to listen.

'All this time..he never..Sirius never..' Ed thought. 'Even Mustang had pain in his eyes..and Sirius didn't even..

"Right then, I think we should tackle that essay.."

"No. Do dat later. I vant to repay you all first." Ed interrupted in a low voice that immediately got attention. "Is nice day, is perfect for de showing you katas as I promised to you before ve came here."

"But..quidditch.." Ron stammered.

Harry had a sort of stricken look on his face, and he glanced longingly up at the fake blue sky over their heads.

"Will it ..um ..take long?" Hermione said, biting at her lower lip nervously. "I really need to get to the homework..this is our OWL year, and I don't want to fall behi.."

"Ve vill see." Ed interrupted, and narrowed his eyes. "Vhere ever ve go, it vill need lots of soft grass, and very few trees. Courtyard is goot, but vith three of you.. and vith de twins and Ginny.. I dhink more space is better."

"Guess that explains why you didn't bother with the robe, mate." Ron said, and leaned his chin into his hand.

"Well, then..." Harry said with a grin. "Think I know the perfect place."

* * *

George and Fred waved them off at the castle entrance, saying they'd join them later with great grins plastered on their faces. Harry and Ron both had these..broomsticks Ed guessed..over their shoulders and walked a bit ahead of him. Hermione was just behind him, looking very much unhappy and even anxious.

"They're going to take advantage..I know it."

Ed heard her say as he once again wrapped his mind about the task immediately ahead: going down the castle stairs. He stopped a moment, took a deep steadily breath, and walked out.

'Getting easier..' he thought as the first of the impulses assaulted him. This time, he found he didn't need to chant the periodical table.

* * *

He looked about him with great interest as they approached the structure they called the Quidditch green. Sloping green lawns were all about, and the 'Forbidden Forest' was just to the side. Then, they entered the green itself. Ed could see it was something like a stadium, meant to seat thousands upon thousands of people. They were in the center of a great, wide, rectanglar-shaped, and carefully trimmed lawn. There were three hoops high overhead at either end, and Ed narrowed his eyes, trying to picture what possible use those hoops could be put to.

He glanced to Harry and Ron as they parted for him. Both had wide grins on their faces as they too, looked up.

"Great isn't it?" Ron said.

"Dhis..quiddy dhing.." Ed said. "Is game..a..sport? Vright?"

"Yes." Hermione said."Different houses each have teams and it.."

Ed nodded as she explained fully, but didn't really pay that much attention. When she took a breath...

"You can put dhose brooms down." Ed said, and snorted. "..you vill not be needing dhem for vhat I have to show you. Yet."

"Yet?" Harry said, and he lowered his broom to the ground with great reluctance.

"Dhere is vay to use dhem, but ve vill cover only few beginning katas today. Vhen I judge you are ready, I vill show you more. Now. Follow vhat I do, and hold it vhen I tell you. Dhis, First position." Ed held the pose and watched them carefully, "Ok, hold."

He then corrected each. Moving a hand, up or down. Kicking the legs a little wider with a gentle nudge at the instep. And when he was satisfied, went on to the next. And the next. Until he had shown a total of six.

Ed turned to face them and nodded.

"Alvright. Together. Vone, dwo, dhree, four, five, and six. Aaaand back to vone." He said loud and slow, making sure to clap a solid clap at each pose. He saw immediately that Harry and Ron were appalling at them, and Hermione wasn't much better. Ed frowned. "Again."

"I..what's this for? Dancing?" Ron said.

"Ha. Dancing. Goot." Ed said with a smirk. "Dhat..is vone view of it. Here, let me show you, exactly, vhat it is for."

Ed stood directly in front Ron. Though Ron towered over him by several feet, Ron nervously bit his bottom lip and would have cringed had Ed not glared at him.

"If you do as I tell you to, you vill not get hit." Ed said in an even tone. "Now. Vone!"

Ed threw an exaggerated punch with his left, aiming for Ron's midsection, and Ron barely got the pose done in time to push it harmlessly aside. "Dwo! Dhree!" Ron barely blocked those as well. "Four Five Six!" These, were punches with Ed's right, and Ron had considerably more difficulty blocking that arm, even though Ed made sure to pull his punch.

"Hermione, is your turn." Ed looked over his shoulder.

"What? but..?"

"Is best to experience dhis for yourself." Ed said and turned to face her. He cracked his neck with but a tilt of his head when he was but a few feet away. "Now. Vone!"

Hermione let out a little noise, much like an "Eeep!" at each punch he threw, but she, too, just managed to block each just in time. Ed nodded a small nod when he was done, then looked to Harry. He watched as Harry swallowed his bile and frowned.

"Why are we..Well I know we agreed, but I mean, we're wizards..We won't need.." Harry said as Ed positioned himself right in front of him.

"Vone!" Harry did the pose half-heartedly; Ed's left fist made contact with his midsection. Before Ed's eyes, Harry seemed to deflate, and fell backwards to his backside onto the grass. Ed rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

"Pleease, I barely touch you! Vhat happens vhen you have no vand, Harry?" Ed said. "Are you vizards dhen?"

"Well, yes actually. Wizards are born with.." Hermione said, and Ed raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "Well, bits of uncontrolled magic tend to happen around young wizards and witches...surely you've..?"

Ed shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking he felt a headache coming on.

"You..have vreations without meaning dhem to happen?"

"Reactions?" Ron said.

"I think he means spells." Harry gasped.

Ed wrinkled his nose.

"The vands do feel like arrays to me, so maybe, MAYBE, iz just another vay of.. Ed grumbled. "but to call dhem SPELLS!?"

"Um..Well I used to have things happen around me." Hermione said."Doesn't happen anymore."

"Me too.." Ron added.

Ed looked up over his hand a moment and frowned.

"Still. Vithout your wands, you can not a do single vreation, vright?" Ed said, and looked to Harry.

"Hold on." Harry gasped, with his hand held up. "Talk to us for once. Don't just...What's more..Let me catch my breath first. "

"Dhat is someting that I have noticed." Ed said with a tilt to his head. "Dhis place. Soft living like dhis..It makes vone.. flabby."

"Flabby?!" Hermione said, tone insulted. "I'm certainly not..!"

"You are. You all are." Ed said. "I don't know how you can be so. Vreations are very hard on the body..I mean..It is not good to so out of..."

"We're WIZARDS, Ed...You can't.." Hermione said in exasperation.

"I. Can. You know I am Alchemist." Ed said. "I say all you are flabby."

"...Alchemist!? As in searching for the philosopher's stone to turn lead into gold and.." Ron said with a laugh.

Ed glared at Ron, and Ron noticed nearly right away. The laughing quickly sputtered to a stop, and Ron was left examining his shoe with great interest. Ed then looked to the side and chewed his bottom lip for several moments, searching for the right words to say.

"Ed..? " Harry said. "You're really... an alchemist?"

Ed sighed then glanced back to Harry. Then to Ron. And Hermione.

"uh...Yeah. Vas it really dhat hard to figure out?"

"You can't blame us, Ed. We've..never really met an alchemist. Only heard of Nicholas Flamel." Hermione said. "Dumbledore was his partner when he made the philosopher's stone...but that happened before we even started school here."

"Hey! Why DO you want the stone? HUH?!?" Ron said. "Could you tell us THAT? The lead to gold thing? And the elixir of life?"

"Vhat? Who said I..?"

"You WANTED the philosopher's stone. We know it." Harry said. "This summer..when you said.."

"Vhen I said 'It can be veapon.'" Ed nodded, and frowned. "Harry, Ron. Dhe stone. Dhat is definitely something I do NOT vant. I vould like to dink dat dis Dumbledore vould never be involved in de making of vone, but..Now...It just makes zenze to me."

"What does..?" Harry said.

Harry gulped as Ed's looked once more at him, and set up an exaggerated left punch.

"Vone."

* * *

Ed leaned his back to the wall at the main entrance of the castle, having just made it up the steps. Slowly unwrapping his awareness with each passing breath, he was able to again feel the sweat falling off his forehead when he realised he was being watched by a peculiar cat with rectangular markings about its eyes.

"Ed..You going to be alright?" Hermione said as she looked about nervously. "You still look awful."

"I'll be fine." Ed said as he glanced back at her. "Just need food."

He pushed off the wall and walked with Hermione, glancing back briefly to where that odd cat was. Between one blink and the next, the cat became none other than the stern faced woman called Professor McGonagall. She did not look in any way pleased. In fact, her brows were lowered nearly to the point of touching at the top of her nose.

"Elric, a word?" Professor McGonagall said crisply when she met his golden eyes with her gray. Ed nodded a glance at Hermione, silently letting her go on ahead to lunch, and stood with his arms folded across his chest.

"I understand you were to report to the hospital wing this previous evening after being dismissed by Professor Umbridge. May I ask why it occurred that you did not show up there?"

"I am legal adult, Professor. I am more dhan capable to seeing to my own needs. I chose to make better use my time in dhe library, instead."

"I see. And the issue that occurred to cause the dismissal?"

"Dhat...has to do vith my medical condition, and is a very personal matter. I vas not about to stay in dhe same vroom vith dhat.." Ed wrinkled his nose in disgust. "...woman ...any longer dhan I had to. Vhen she told me I vas dismissed, I took the chance for vhat it vas. Is dhere a problem?"

"Yes..there is to be a hearing held tonight on whether or not you should be expelled from Hogwarts."

Ed's face scrunched in confusion.

"Vas? ..Your rules here sound.. odd for a school. Am I to be expelled because I chose NOT to go to dhis hospital wing?"

"Not quite. It is because Professor Umbridge was apparently assaulted. Then unlawfully detained, an event I believe happened soon after you left her office for the night."

Ed raised his eyebrows.

"Vreally?"

"Yes. She demanded a hearing soon after I managed to transfigure her desk back into its proper shape."

"I vill be permitted to speak for myself at dhis..hearing?"

"I believe your attendance at the hearing will indeed be necessary...The fact that you are a legal adult may be quite beneficial."

"Vhere and vhen is dhis to be held?"

"Midnight. Dumbledore's office."

Ed nodded his head and turned about.

"And, Elric? Be sure to dress appropriately for the occasion."


	34. Before Dumbledore

A/N: Too fun..moving on...!

Thanks again for the reviews..!!

* * *

Ten minutes before midnight, Ed stood before the large gargoyle statue that blocked the stairs, tilted his head and narrowed his golden eyes.

"I could simply deconstruct it..but why is it there in the first place?" Ed muttered in Amestrian as he glanced about, strongly suspecting that there had to be some sort of a puzzle to solve to get the statue to move. He vaguely remembered Hermione saying something about it when he asked her for directions.

'Or is it a statue?' Ed thought, and tapped his gloved right fist against the thing's nose. There was a dull tink! tink! with each rap. Ed then took off his left glove and touched the statue. He focused inward and closed his eyes, looking within himself for the structure beneath his hand.

"Whatever are you doing, Elric?" ..drawled a voice. "You know the rules. ...No students are allowed to wander about the halls at this time."

'Alive!' Ed thought as his eyes flew open, and he eased his hand from the statue. He shot a glare at Severus, who was looking even more bat-like than ever to Ed thanks to the black robe the man wore. Black shoulder length hair just as greasy as it was on Friday's class. He stood just behind Ed with his arms folded, face set in a scowling sneer.

Ed's own hated!robe was draped over his right arm. He himself was dressed in a fresh white long sleeved button-up shirt. The gray vest was one of his best, and it matched the slacks nicely. His watch chain was hooked to a right front loop over his belt and continued on to the watch itself, which was tucked into his pocket on his right. He had braided back his long gold hair into a single rope, but his unruly bangs still hung low over his cheeks. Dress shoes were on his feet this time, instead of his usual heavy boots.

Ed clapped his hands together and held them up before him, fingers splayed. The wall behind the statue had something flare brightly, and Ed crooked his head around the thing, leaning precariously on one foot, to have a look. When the light faded, he shifted back and replaced his glove on his left.

"Nodhing vreally important." Ed said softly, as he folded his arms. "Besides..I tink it likely you alvready know I may not be student here much longer."

"I believe another 50 or so points would be a nice round number to take from Gryffindor for this infraction."

Ed snorted.

"Knock yourself out, Professor Snape." Ed said as he slapped his hands together and reached for the gargoyle, fingers of each hand stopping within a few inches of touching the living stone. "It is vell hidden. But dhat does not matter. Move now, or you're dust."

Nothing happened. The statue remained motionless. Ed rolled his eyes, shook out his hands, and let out a breath.

"Was that some sort of an idle threat...?" Snape said in a low voice.

"Changed my mind. Iz all." Then Ed slapped his palms together and lunged to the ground. Just before he touched...

"I believe the password is... Rainbow sprinkles."

Ed was crouched right before the gargoyle as it leapt lightly aside as if it were made of flesh instead of his estimated 2.2 tons of granite. It even stuck it's stone tongue at him as it landed. Ed glared at it with narrowed eyes as he rose to stand, shaking out his hands as he went. He folded his arms and tapped his right hand against his left bicept.

"It is most fortunate we are already here at the Headmaster's office, Elric, or I would insist on escorting you here for expulsion myself." Severus said. "I would hope that the happy occasion of your departure awaits us above the stairs. Now. Step aside or get moving."

* * *

Ed waited at the Headmaster's office door after Severus went in, as the man insisted he do. Which was fine, as it allowed him to put on his hated!robe and at least look like he was something of a student at this place. He left the front of the garment open, seeing no reason to cover his pocket watch.

'It's silly really. Covering up a symbol with a symbol.' Ed thought. 'Not that it should really matter to me anyway. Besides, at least the watch isn't a damn uniform.'

Satisfied he looked (somewhat) presentable, he reached up and knocked on the door with his right, the sound of it echoed loudly in the hall around him.

"You may enter now, Mr. Elric." Ed heard. It was Dumbledore, speaking flawless Amestrain.

Ed entered and looked about. The office was circular in shape, and the walls were simply covered with moving pictures, the largest of which was behind Dumbledore's enormous desk. It gave a sense of being on display before a rather large audience, especially with the hushed whispers that came from them as some of the figures within somehow rushed from one frame to another.

On either side of the door stood two people in what Ed knew to be wizard robes. One he recognised...Kingsley.

Dumbledore himself sat serenely in his highbacked chair behind said desk, and some sort of fancy bird was perched on a..stand?.. Ed supposed ...near his shoulder. Professor McGonagall stood near the desk, looking quite stern with her no-nonsense attitude. Ed couldn't help but compare them to Roy and Riza in his memories, especially since the desk, like Roy's, was covered in piles and piles of paperwork.

Behind them, Ed saw a man standing by the fireplace with his hands clasped behind his back. The man turned and looked at him, and Ed had a vague sense of recognition when he saw the man's full face. The man made a scornful little laugh, and folded his arms across his puffed up chest.

The Pink Toad stood to the side before Dumbledore's desk, nearly scowling, and yet smiling sweetly at the same time, when she glanced at Ed.

"Minister, I was not expecting to see this child in these proceedings." she said in her simpering, little girl voice.

Ed scowled at the word 'child', but stopped in front of Dumbledore's desk, clasped both hands behind his back, and set his feet so that they were roughly shoulder-width apart. He held his head high..or as high as he could given that he was once again the shortest person in the room.

"Do not be calling me 'child', Ministry Appointed Instructor." Ed said. "I am legal adult."

"A Muggle? in Hogwarts, Dumbledore?" the portly man said in a contemptous tone. "I believe it really is truely far past the time for your retirement if you think this school should be allowing Muggles within its walls."

"I assure you, Cornelius, that when I introduced you to Mr. Elric in court, I was quite unaware of his rather special talents." Dumbledore said. "However, I assume the question of his qualifications is not that which brings us here at so late an hour. Is this correct, Delores?"

"Yes, Headmaster."

"Mr. Elric? Do you know why you are here?" Cornelius said.

"No." Ed said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"No. I don't."

"So..you have no idea why this hearing has been called at this late an hour, even though you are clearly dressed for such an event?"

"Dhat is correct. And you are?" Ed said and fixed his eyes on the somehow familiar looking fat man.

"The Minister of Magic." The man said impatiently. "Surely you remember the Wizengamont.."

"Vas big sea of faces from my point of view, MINISTER" Ed interrupted. "You vere but one of many I met dhat day."

"I find I do not like your tone of voice, Mr. Elric." The Minister said.

"That day vas not a very pleasant vone for me, MINISTER." Ed said coldly, and blinked a slow blink to shift his gaze back at Dumbledore.

"Under article 15 of the Minstry of Magic's educational code, no underage wizard is to be permitted to assault or otherwise harm an instructor while school is in session. At the hour of 6pm on Friday night, I was not only assaulted by Mr. Elric in my office, but was entombed alive within the transfiguration he fashioned from my desk." The pink toad said in her honey sweet voice.

"Those are indeed grave accusations, Delores. Very grave indeed." The Minister said.

"What's more, I believe Mr. Elric is most... unsavory.. to have around the other students. He has..certain violent tendencies.. an undesirable result of his Muggle upbringing, no doubt,.. that have resulted in injuries to 2 of my students. I believe this happened on Thursday afternoon."

"That incident did not happen in your class, Ministry Appointed Instructor. I hardly tink dhat is.."

"It's Professor Umbridge, Mr. Elric, and your opinion is not what's important. Here." Pink Toady snapped in her sweet voiced way. She even managed a simpering smile..aimed at the Minister, of course.

"Mr. Elric, what have you to say on this matter?" Dumbledore said quietly.

"Vhich vone?"

"The assault and entombment on Professor Umbridge, of course." The Minister said in irritation.

"I did no assaulting on her, nor could I have been responsible for de transfiguring of her desk."

"Lies." The toad woman said shrilly.

"Do you have any evidence to support your accusations, Delores?" Dumbledore asked politely, entwining his fingers before his chin.

"Indeed I do." And to Ed's astonishment, the woman proceeded to push up the pink sleeves of her very fluffy sweater. Her forearms were quite black and patchy; covered in what looked to be rather painful and deep bruises. "This is what he did to me when I touched his arm."

"That certainly looks quite painful. Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?"

"I saw her this morning, in fact. That was how I discovered that Mr. Elric once again defied my instructions after I dismissed him from detention."

"Whatever did he do?"

"He...did not...go where I dismissed him to go to."

"I believe she means he did not show up to the hospital wing." Professor Mcgonagall said curtly.

"Is that so? That suggests to me that he received some sort of injury as well. Mr. Elric?"

"I..have no vish to speak about my health related issues, Professor Dumbledore. Dhey are..very private and I am used to managing them myself. Vhat dat voman vas having me do in dhat detention of hers.."

"Professor Umbridge, if you please, Mr. Elric." Dumbledore said politely with a slight smile.

"It vas clear to me dhat.." Ed's nose wrinkled in distaste, not wanting to give the toad woman any title associated with learning at all. He shot a glare at her, and saw she had a self satisfied kind of smile on her face. Then he scowled, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand.

'Well. There's no other way.' Ed thought.

"Let me start over...Professor Dumbledore." Ed said, and he unbuttoned the cuff of his own left sleeve. This he rolled up just past his elbow, which revealed both the large bandage wrapped around his forearm, and the carved-in lettering in his flesh. Then he removed his glove, and unwrapped the bandage to reveal the rest, and checked the array scar once again to make sure it was scabbed over. He turned the lettering to face Dumbledore. "Dhis is vhat she vas having us do. Using a quill dhat used our own blood as ink."

Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes narrowed behind his half-moon glasses as he peered at the letters. He looked hard at the marred flesh a rather long time, blue eyes lingering on the array scar just above the letters. Then, he looked up abruptly an stared off a little to the left of Ed's shoulder, and Ed lowered his arm back to his side. Professor McGonagall's eyebrows lowered to the point where they almost met, and her nostrils flared out when she looked in the pink toad's general direction.

"That pattern above the lettering, and the ones mixed in the letters themselves. I recognise them a little from my work with my partner." Dumbledore said in Amestrian "Tell me, you happen to know exactly HOW to use blood, like the ancients are said to have done in alchemical transfiguration, correct?"

Ed looked down a moment to button his cuff once more.

"The correct word is 'transmutation', Professor. Not 'transfiguration'." Ed replied in Amestrian. "It is said that only the mad or truly desperate ever think to use blood, but then, I haven't gotten very far in your library just yet. There may be exceptions to be found."

"Ah. I see now."

"Will you two speak ENGLISH!!?" The Minister said angrily.

"Cornelius, I have determined that Edward here was speaking truthfully when he said he was not the one who 'transfigured' the desk around Professor Umbridge."

"WHAT?"

"You see, blood is well known to be a very volitile substance in alchemy. You do remember that I am known for discovering the five uses of dragon's blood?"

"I'm not following.."

"Never you mind, Cornelius." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "It will suffice to say that I believe that Mr. Elric was not the one responsible for unlawfully detaining Professor Umbridge within her own desk. I would say that particular feat lies with Professor Umbridge herself. Now..as for the assault charges..."

"I certainly did NOT transfigure my own desk about myself!" The pink toad. "I didn't even have my wand..!"

"I never said you did, dear. Now...what was that you said about touching Mr. Elric on the arm..? Would you care to ..say.. demonstrate it to me?"

Ed immediately snapped a glare to first Dumbledore, then to the pink toad's beady eyes.

"No vay in hell ..!"

"Elric..! Such language..!" Professor McGonagall said crisply.

"I'm NOT letting her, or anyone else, touch me." Ed said loudly in Amestrian, and made a quick glance at man behind the desk. "I mean it. I will defend myself."

Dumbledore held up his hand.

"Calm down, Mr. Elric." Dumbledore said softly in English. "It is but a simple.."

"LIKE SHIT IT IS!!" Ed yelled. He was so angry, he didn't know which language he spoke in as he stepped back away from the immediate threat of the pink toad.

"Easy.."

"No one's here to hurt you.."

"Calm down.."

Ed glanced about and saw several of the picture people patting the nonexistant air in front of them. He then realised he had his arms crossed about his chest, and the right arm protectively over the left and his gloved right was clawing nearly painfully into his left bicept.

'More and more like a dream world than ever..' He thought as his eyes went wildly from one frantic picture person to the next. ..then his back hit against a wall. 'They don't know about blood seals..if this gets activated..I'm gone..!'

Thankful for something to focus on, he closed his eyes and looked inward at the structure, and listened to his breathing. Calcium Carbonate ..Magnisium ..Colbalt ...Regimented and arranged like a grid. That at least was the same as it always was. When he opened his eyes once more, he startled.

Severus peered down at him coldly over his nose. He was standing close enough to touch, yet far enough away that he wasn't. The image of the Gate flashed for just a moment, and Ed scowled right back at the man.

'The damn gate didn't break me..but if I have stay in this.. stupid ...dream world...' Ed thought as he swallowed his bile. Then he tore his eyes away from Severus' gaze and looked back at Dumbledore.

"Hem hem..clearly, the boy..oh I mean Mr. Elric, is too dangerous to be allowed remain here at Hogwarts. We simply cannot allow unstable sorts like him to.." The pink toad said in a little girlish voice.

"Actually, Delores. I have come to a quite different conclusion. You see, from what I have just observed, I have determined that, while awake, Mr. Elric would never allow you or, anyone else, to touch him. What's more, I believe he would simply move away rather than harm a person with such innocent intent." Dumbledore said in an almost cheery tone.

"Which means, when this alleged assault occurred, if it indeed it was Mr. Elric who harmed you, then he must have been rendered unconscious at the time." Dumbledore continued. "And who among us can be faulted for what happens when we are unconscious?"

"That's ridiculous." Toady said. "I rather think he was fully awake when he moved as fast as he.."

"Tell me, Delores, just how much blood did you end up taking from Mr. Elric this past week for his detention?" Dumbledore said politely.

"I honestly don't know." Toady said, "What does it matter?"

"Oh..it matters greatly. Severous, would you say Mr. Elric is quite a bit more pale than he was, say, at the start of term feast?"

"Considerably so. However, I believe it has more to do with his unique method of measuring toxic potion ingredients than any supposed blood loss. He has this most fortunate habit of holding them directly in his hands, one that will most certainly shorten his life if he is unwise and continues to do so in my classroom."

Ed snorted in amusement, and lowered his arms to his sides.

"Ah, yes. Quite an skill to have, isn't it." Dumbledore said, blue eyes twinkling.

"Well? Is he to be expelled or not?" The Minister demanded. "Remember, Dumbledore, This is not the first time he has attacked a Ministry official."

"Alas, at the time he allegedly attacked several Aurors, I believe you'll find he wasn't a student of Hogwarts. I can not deliberate on those instances, only this one that lies before me now. Therefore, I find that Mr. Elric is indeed still welcome within our walls." The toad's beady eyes widened at this statment.

"At least, for as long you are Headmaster." The toad said in simpering, girlish voice. She nodded her head politely at the desk. "Professor Dumbledore."

"Indeed." Dumbledore replied. "And as Headmaster, I have the highest honor to discuss your ..rather harsh choice of discipline methods ..at length. Beginning tomorrow."


	35. The final Peeves of the week

A/N: This is little more than fluff, but I just HAD to write a conclusion to the very terrible, awful bad week Ed is having. Enjoy!

* * *

Sunday arrived and Ed awoke a bit before dawn somewhat thankful he had not been expelled just yet. He dressed in working pants and a long sleeved sweatshirt after checking his scar..(thankfully still scabbed over and healing)..then rushed though his morning routine. He gulped down a pot of coffee for breakfast in much the same manner as he had the day before, then he found to his dismay that the library was closed.

The discovery left him feeling something out of sorts. But..! It was again a nice warm, and sunny day, and his lack of aches told him it would stay that way for a while. He found Ron and Harry in the common room. Hermione sat near them with Crookshanks in her lap.

"Ed..! How'd..?" Hermione said loudly. Ron and Harry shot death glares in her direction, and she lowered her voice to a near whisper as Ed approached closer. "..you know..how'd it go? Are you still..?"

"Yeah. Still here." Ed said as he looked Ron and Harry over. Both were bent over the low tables, frantically writing essays and answering the questions assigned to them the week before.

"I..I didn't let them know yet..I mean..they're so far behind and.."

"Goot. Vas stoopid ting anyvay." Ed said softly as he sat beside her. "Do not vorry dhem vith my trouble now dat it is over."

"So..missed you at breakfast..." She said with a smallest hint of a smile.

"Yeah.. vanted to go to de library vhile I still can..but is closed." Ed leaned his chin into his right hand. Crookshanks popped his ginger head up and looked over to his direction.

"Well..it looks like you are a contender." Ed looked up at the voice..FredorGeorge stood before him with crossed arms and a haughty look on his face. Ed's face scrunched in confusion.

"He certainly seemed ordinary enough, that for certain." This voice was behind him, and he flicked a glance to see an identical pose on the other twin.

"Facts are facts though. And here we spent all summer tormenting you instead of taking notes." said the FredorGeoge before him, accompanied with a dramatic pose: the back of his hand to his forehead like he was about to swoon backward.

"Yeah, he's going to get the honor. All in one year at this rate."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione said.

"Snape's just taken another 50 points. And McGonagall 20."

"WHAT?!?" Ginny said as she sat down.

"Looks to me like Eddie here's going to be responsible for losing the most points..! "

"..EEEEVER for Gryffindor. And this is just the first week." FredorGeorge grinned, then both walked out and went on their way.

Ed blinked a slow blink and leaned his chin back on his right hand. He absently scratched the ears of Crookshanks with his gloved left. He soon found himself with a furry ginger ball purring loudly in his lap.

"Useless creature. Whatever does Alphonse see in your kind?" Ed said glumly in Amestrian as the cat began licking itself with a joyful expression on it furry face.

"Yeah..what you said." Hermione said as she took out a pair of knitting needles. Ed pretended not to see them float from her hands and begin to knit all by themselves. "Just..make sure you're not so selfish this next week, alright? Those points are serious business and..."

Ed stood and walked out without a word, leaving behind a very disgruntled looking cat.

He entered a long hallway near the Gryffindor tower, and heard an odd, cackling tinny laughter. Then.. he thought he saw something move..

Without thinking he leaped back into a handspring and heard a huge crash just before him. He looked when he found his footing, and found broken bits of what looked to be marble on the floor. He crouched down on the mess, looking it over. Most of the pieces were but a few inches wide. All except one. Ed reached for this one..it was long and flat.. and turned it over.

The lettering was worn and cracked, but it clearly read:

Paracelsus

He sat back on his heels, and groaned.

Ed heard a distant, tinny voice, speaking English, and looked around.

"I heard a crash..Did he..?"

"He missed, don't worry yourself, dear." One of the picture people said..looking up to.. and Ed glanced in the direction.. no one. Ed's face scrunched in confusion.

"Vho's dhere?"

"I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Popington, resident Ghost of Gryffindor tower, at your service." The tinny voice said. Ed tried his best to track where the voice was coming from..settling his golden eyes vaguely at the empty air right above his head.

"Uh..Goot to meet you." Ed said stiffly, uncertain if he was looking in the right place or even if there WAS a right place to look at. He then looked back down to the mess before him. "Where did dhis come from anyvay?"

"Above you, I imagine." The tinny voice replied.

Ed then swept the pieces together into a small pile with his hands, and clapped his hands together. In a flash of blue light, the pieces of "Paracelsus" reformed. Ed then picked the bust up, and just barely managed to reach the small alcove to replace it back where it belonged.

"HEY!..That's not how he.." One of the picture people said.

"Iz update..." Ed said, feeling awkward talking to an image, even if it was one that likely used a blood seal. "He..um..looked like dat de last I saw him."

"Oh really? And how did you happen meet?"

Ed looked down and found his feet quiet a bit more facinating that speaking to a moving picture.

"uh.. It would be most helpful, we know next to nothing about him, you know." The tinny voice said, this time right by his shoulder. Ed startled, but again saw nothing but air.

"Just...uh. He vas my father." He said with a scowl, and pocketed his fists. He then continued his way down the hall.

* * *

It was indeed a nice and sunny day, but Ed had no intention of goofing off.

He soon found a muddy patch in a deserted area of the courtyard and began working on the 'vanishing snail'.

He adjusted and tested equation after equation, drawn in the mud with an ungloved finger. Each time, the snail continued to disintegrate with disgusting bubbling pops and hisses on one array, and failed to 'reintegrate' on the second. By lunch, Ed punched the ground in frustration before he got up and broke his arrays with a few well placed, and satisfying kicks.

He spoke loudly, and quite colorfully, of the snail's heritage in all the languages he knew. He was still speaking in such a manner, working his way through an Amestrian-flecked Isballan dialect, when...

"Language!" Malfoy called out. "5 points Gryffindor."

Ed stopped midstep and narrowed his eyes. He did not bother to turn about, but flexed his hands into fists.

"Tell me, boy-child." Ed growled calmly. "Is it against dhe school rules to compose ..how you say.. POETRY..?"

"I doubt that is what you were doing, Elric." Malfoy sneered. "Otherwise, why bother using another language at all?"

Ed turned his head.

"Same vreason you use funny vords vith dose sticks." Ed said. "Or does saying 'light' happen to vork de same as 'luUUuumos' for you?"

Mafoy's upper lip drew back. He glanced to either side of him, but his usual brutes were not with him at that time. Instead, there were a few other students who were nodding, as if in agreement. Ed watched Malfoy narrow his eyes, and back up a step.

"Still taking the points." Malfoy said, and a few of the other students in the Hall hissed. "..And they're called 'wands'. What are you, a mudblood? Oh..yes. You're with that Granger, a lot. That must be how you've.. gone all wrong." He said in a nasty sort of loud whisper before he turned about to take his seat at the Slytherin table.

"Fine. Do dhat." Ed hissed, and continued on to the Gryffindor table.

He ate his lunch alone, as, once again, most of the Gryffindor students got up almost immediately and moved quite far away from him. He ate heartily anyway, intent to return to his task in the courtyard. When he returned there, he found it was no longer as deserted as he would have liked, as many of the students had gathered there to enjoy the last rays of the sun.

"Tch..!" Ed said, and punched a wall with his right as he turned around. A few chips of stone fell to the ground as he stalked off to look for another place to work. He didn't notice that it was Malfoy who had found his quiet muddy patch, and was looking it over with great interest.

It was somewhere on the third level that he heard something far too familiar: The rattling noise of armor plates rubbing against each other. He looked in the direction the sound came from, and found it came from a room. A glance past the doorway revealed a display within, much like the trophies he could see just beyond through another door, of empty suits of armor. Each one was on a pedestal of sorts, labeled with a date, or perhaps the name of the person who had last used it.

"Anyvone here?" Ed called out to the apparently empty room. He heard a tinny kind of cackle in answer.

"ooooh..can't see..can't see..can he..?" Sang a singsong tinny voice Ed recognised. Ed immediately clapped his hands together and held them up, fingers splayed. Ed looked about, but nothing held that telltale glow he was looking for. The cackling began again, and the voice sang on, "Patty cake patty cake..! A Muggle's here. Inside ol'Howarts..! oh speak to all that I can!"

There was a tremendous racket..as one of the suit of armor moved. Ed immediately stepped into his fight stance, right hand leading, and noticed that a suit of armor moved very clumsily towards him.

'The feet..they aren't moving much at all.' Ed thought. 'It's. Like it's a puppet.'

"Ooooooh!..Wee shorty's not scared of ol'Peeves now is he?"

Ed vein at his temple throbbed, and he scowled at the ridiculous thing before him.

"VHO'RE YOU CALLING A TINY BEAN SMALLER THAN A RICE GRAIN?!?"

Before Ed landed the blow with his right, the armor flew away and crashed spectacularly amongst the rest, knocking them all down like dominoes. The supreme racket made Ed cringe, and back up a step. The tinny cackling began again. He was trying once again to track where the noise came from when he glimpsed someone. A very tall, stooped-over someone, out of the corner of his eye. He adjusted his stance, and saw an older man with long stringy hair.

"You..." The man growled angrily, making his perpetual scowl crease deeper on his face. "Don't you dare blame this mess on Peeves..Like all you kids do.. Come with me now and I'll see to your punishment."

Ed lowered his arms, and scowled in return.

He was soon brought before Professor McGonagall. And she did not look at all pleased.

___________________


	36. Katas of Equivalence

A/N: Moving on...and on..and on...

* * *

Ed glanced up from his coffee, saw the unfolded newspaper's large bold headline on the table before him, and frowned.

MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR"

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were all bent over it, reading what looked to be a large article avidly. He returned to his coffee, and thought about his weekend encounter with the toad woman. His eyes found her easily enough at the high table; She was sitting there with her head held high and was overlooking them all with a self satisfied smirk on her face.

The toad woman's beady eyes swept over towards him and he swallowed the still hot coffee from his mug in several gulps. When he put to cup down, he made sure to look over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione instead, while his mind whirled about the problem the toad represented.

"So..vill you all have some time today for katas?" Ed said.

"Um..not so sure, mate." Ron said.

"Me.. uh.. neither." Harry said.

"I've got so many.." Hermione looked up with a blush, and then looked away quickly. "classes..and loads of...uh.."

Ed nodded as he looked at each of them. He then placed both hands on the table and stood.

"Ed..! Don't..We didn't mean.." Hermione said frantically.

"Harry. Ron. Hermione." Ed said. "If you find katas are not equivalent, dhen tell me so."

"It's not..well it.." Hermione stammered.

"We're wizards, mate..not..um.." Ron said.

Ed walked away, pretty certain by that point the conversation would go downhill real quick.

He spent the next class working on arrays for the 'vanishing snail' instead of actually listening to the drowning tinny voice at the front; the strategy seemed to work well enough as he didn't manage to fall asleep.

In potions, he received his paper on moonstones back along with the rest of the class. He snorted in amusement at the big fat zero scrawled in red at the top, knowing well he had done far better in his professional opinion on this simple a report.

'Not that it really matters.' He thought as he deposited the paper in the proper round receptacle (that seemed to munch it hungrily) and returned to the task at hand.

As he was adding the weird plant material-- that would act as a kind of litmus he supposed, changing the color of the simmering liquid from red to blue -- Severus walked by his desk and waved his wand over his cooking pot without even so much as a glance at his result. The liquid within simply vanished.

"Mr. Elric, you shall receive a zero for the day."

"Vhat..!?"

"I am happy to inform you that you have earned yourself an additional homework assignment. You are to prepare a report on ..ah yes, the next on the list.. the alchemist called 'Paracelsus'. Due by the next session."

"Vha..vhy..?"

"You failed to follow my explicit instructions regarding your measuring habits. Perhaps by the next session you will recall the.. correct.. method."

Ed scowled at the man, then slowly, sat back down. He jerked out his notebook and scribbled down equations for the remainder of the class. He so angry, he managed to not jump at the series of explosions that inevitably issued forth from Neville's side of the table. He glared at the round faced boy in his annoyance, which only made Nelville's eyes as round as could be in response. When the class was dismissed, Ed savagely kicked the door open with a loud bang! of his left.

Before he had gotten far along up the stairs, he heard Harry's voice.

"Ed..! hold up..!"

Ed didn't. He didn't even stop when he reached the beginnings of the courtyard, and when he reached the far end, he threw his collection of things the ground just before he punched at a wall with his gloved right. He heard a number alarmed gasps that told him the place wasn't entirely deserted. He folded his arms and began to pace instead of pulverising the wall like he really wanted, shooting a glare at the small indention he had made in the blocks every so often. He heard 'them' approaching long before he bothered to look behind him.

"Eddie-boy..!" FredorGeorge said behind him.

"Do not call me dhat." Ed spat as he flexed his gloved right in and out of a fist, checking it over for damage. "Ever."

"Just a friendly reminder to keep your temper with Umbridge. She's out to inspect classes y'know."

Ed nodded his understanding but continued his pacing. He heard two leaving. But he knew the other three were still standing there. He heard more and more people approaching as well, by the whispers and footfalls.

"Ed..come on, mate." Ron said tentatively. "Don't loose us more..."

"Wait, Ron." Harry said. "Ed...talk to us..what is it? Bad marks from Snape..?"

Ed shot Harry a glare as he paced.

"What'd you get..?" Hermione said.

"Zero." Ed said in an even tone as he paced.

"I know that..I meant for the paper.."

"..vas for de paper." Ed growled as he punched his own arm with a dull thunk!

"A zero..? oh! That's great!" Hermione said excitedly. "That's actually the highest.."

"'Iome..I don't.." Ron said as Ed again glared at them, and then to the approaching onlookers as he paced.

"This isn't helping.." Harry said in exasperation.

Ed looked hard at the green eyed..his FRIEND, he corrected himself..and frowned.

"Ed..? Come on..Out with it. What's wrong?" Harry said.

A few steps later, Ed stopped his pacing as he emphatically tapped his right against the unforgiving blocks of the wall.

"..Of all people to assign me to report on..vhy fukkin HIM?!?" Ed said in a low voice he knew didn't carry far as he glanced back at Harry.

"That 'Paracelsus' guy?" Ed heard the shrug in Ron's voice. "But..He's a cinch. There's next to nothing on him in the library...Right 'Iome?"

Ed swallowed his bile and went back to visually examining the indent in the block. He slapped his palms together and touched the wall. in a flash of light, the indent was gone.

"Ed..?" Harry said.

Ed exhaled his exasperation in a half-growl as he walked to his pile of things on the ground.

"I..tink.." Ed said angrily as he picked up his notebooks, glancing now and then to the gathering crowd of onlookers. "No. Make dhat I know. Just how I vill do dis."

He watched Ron and Harry nod to Hermione as the warning bell rang. As Ron, Harry and he headed over to the North Tower, Harry raised an eyebrow.

"So..um.. can I ask..um..?"

"Don't." Ed interrupted angrily with a raised hand. "Not now, anyvay."

* * *

The next class was not Ed's favorite..in fact he found it largely a big waste of his time. Just like the next one with..

"Greeeeat. Just who I wanted to see." Ed said in Amestrian as he saw the pink toad herself enter from the silver ladder, clipboard in hand. He nearly got up and walked out, but Harry and Ron waved at him to sit back down. He did so with his arms folded across his chest.

The Professor, she with the eyes magnified by thick glasses and numerous shawls, looked decidedly nervous to Ed when she saw the pink toad. She had them take out the 'Dream Oracle' book, and begin interpeting one another's dream. She then walked to his pouf, as he still did not have a partner in the class to work with.

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he handed over his "dream diary" when she asked for it. As she glanced over his entries, he saw the pink toad look over her shoulder.

"There are quite a few entries here, and though I am quite happy that you have taken this to this class with such enthusiasm..I find you have me confused, Mr. Elric." She said in her mystical tones. "I..simply cannot read any of this at all."

"I do not tink or dream in Englich." Ed said simply with a shug.

"I should think that anyone with a tinsy bit of intelligence would know to translate such things to our common language for the purpose of such classwork." the pink toad said in a girly voice.

Ed narrowed his eyes at her uttering of the hated word, and the insult of his mind, but chose to ignore the toad woman as though she did not exist.

"I vas planning on translating it by next class session." He continued, "Finding de vright vords in dis language of yours is..difficult ...I have no vish for de meanings getting lost."

The Professor smiled a brave little smile. Looking supremely pleased at the news of his effort, she got up from the pouf and moved on to another student. The pink toad shadowed her closely with the barest parting glance aimed back at him with her beady eyes.

Ron leaned over and looked at his open notebook.

"Hey mate..Isn't that notebook you use in Transfiguration?" Ron whispered.

"..swore I saw you writing in it 'History of Magic'." Harry added in his own whisper.

"She doesn't have to be knowing dhat." Ed whispered back, idly working on more equations for the "vanishing snail" on the next page.

"Blimey..Here she comes.."

"..think up a dream quick..!" Harry whispered in a panic.

"I thought one up last time..its your turn.."

"How about..uh.."

"..fishing peacefully on a deserted island..?" Ed whispered.

"Yeah..good one Ed..thanks..!"

As he observed the pink toad throughout the inspection, it was clear things did not go at all well for the shawl covered Professor. It did not help matters that she fell into a sort of "show buzy" routine, in which she foretold numerous gruesome deaths for Harry in particular when she looked his dream journal over.

At the bell, the pink toad was the first down the spindly silver ladder. Ed was certainly not looking forward to the next class at all, but he knew he had no choice but to attend the thing. He was the last to shuffle into the room, but he flopped into the seat that Harry had managed to save for him. He didn't bother to take out his copy of 'Defensive Magical Theory', having already read through the thing entirely. Instead, he took out his notebook and flipped to where he had left off on the "snail".

He had the song of alchemy wrapped about his mind..but that was abruptly interrupted by an outburst of Harry's.

"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher, there was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head."

'What did I miss now?' Ed thought, glancing between the toad and Harry.

The silence in the room stretched and stretched.

"I think that another week's detentions would do you some good, Mr. Potter, " Said the pink toad.

Ed flexed his hands into fists and was about to stand, but heard the slap of a hand on his unfeeling shoulder port. The weight there, unbalanced as it was, forced Ed to stay seated. He narrowed his eyes, then glanced over at Harry. His friend glared at the pink toad with a distinct defiant frown on his face.

"Not this time, Ed." Harry whispered to him when he sat back down. "I can handle this."

The pink toad herself graced them all with a sleek little smile as she settled herself once again behind her desk.

Ed scowled at her, but turned back to his notebook. She..in silence.. remained behind her desk, oblivious to his activities.

Once class released, he immediately sought out a secluded area..one which he had seen near the 'quiddy' field. Once there and fully satisfied he was alone, he angrily took off the hated!uniform and his outer shirt and tossed them atop his notebooks. Right arm shining brightly in the remaining sun, he performed kata after kata..one blending seamlessly into the next.

Much later, he sat by the trio, covered in sweat but considerably less angry. He ate his dinner without saying a single word; his mind on other matters.

* * *

He had to stay up anyway, or so he told himself.

Ed made sure he was up in the common room, sitting in front of the fire when Harry returned that night from detention with the toad. He knew by the way Harry held his hand as he entered that the detention went much the same as the others the previous week. He leaned his elbows on his knees and weaved his gloved fingers together before his chin.

Harry sat down across from him with a grimmace on his face, gingerly holding a scarf to his hand. They sat in silence for a long time. Then Harry looked up and met his golden gaze with small smirk on his face.

"So..um."

"Hm.." Ed said softly. "Hold de scarf steady, and press vright here at same time. Vill stop bleeding faster dan how you have it now." Ed pointed to a point on his left wrist.

"Uh..thanks." Harry said and did so. Ed nodded a slight nod when saw that he had it.

"So.. um.. Dis.. Moldie-shorts. He has habit of.. showing up on the back of teacher's heads?" Ed said.

"Among other things." Harry said with a frown. "Ed. I..Just wanted to ask. Earlier today. When you were.."

"Yeah." Ed said as he looked away. He lowered his hands and made a disgusted sort of noise.

"If this is too.."

"No. no..it's not too... I just.." Ed paused with a frown and looked back. "I VREALLY don't like the guy."

"You KNOW him?" Harry said incredulously. "Paracelsus is over.."

"Yeah. You'd dink he be.. better person.. for all dat age... Equivalent exchange, Harry. Tell me about dis Voldemort. Details. Dhat 'sticking out of a teacher's head' ting you said vas.."

"Yeah I know...Creeped me out to see it and I was.." Harry scrunched his face in thought. "It was just my first year here."

"Vell. I vant to know exactly vhy everyone here is so..scared shit. In exchange. I vill tell you ..much.. of vhat I vill NOT be putting in dis report Severous vants me to do. Equivalence..?"

"I..dunno. Those katas weren't all that.." Harry said with exaggerated narrowed eyes. "Voldemort is kind of a big deal, you see, and.."

"I know him because ..he..is my father." Ed interrupted in calm, factual tones.

Harry's mouth slackened, and his eyes slowly widened in surprise. Ed watched as Harry tried several times to say something, but only end up staring at him with a kind of wonder on his face. After several moments of witnessing this, Ed nodded, leaned his chin on his right hand.

"Equivalence, Ed." Harry said. "Equivalence."

"De bastard vas goink by 'Hohemheim' last I saw him..." Ed began. "Hohemheim of Light...and if he kept his promise to me and stayed in de body I knew, he is dead. If he did not, I tell you he is dead to me, anyvay, because I vill not ever forgive him... "

* * *

The next day, much to Ed's annoyance, the pink toad was standing in McGonagall's class, clipboard in hand.

Ed still had not managed to "vanish a snail" and when he was given a mouse with the rest class, he frowned but took it as gently as he could with his gloved right. He then headed to the back area located beyond the array on display behind Professor McGonagall's desk. With a clap of his hands, he fashioned a mouse cage directly out of a tabletop, and he placed the mouse carefully within it.

He then settled himself onto the floor next to a bucket of snails, and took out his notebook, a stack of blank parchment, an inkwell, and a paintbrush. Soon, he was listening intently to the music of Alchemy in his mind.

He lifted his finger from the array, his fifth for the day and quickly surveyed his results: A failure once again. He picked up the arrays from the floor, and tore the papers to break the circles before tossing them both into the hungry wastebasket. He then took out two more pieces of parchment, dipped the paintbrush into the inkwell, and drew out two new arrays within moments. He fiddled with the amplifying runes, a stray arch here and there. When he was satisfied both were balanced, he placed them on the ground before him. Then, he reached for a snail.

Only then did he hear the sound of a quill busily scratching on a clipboard. .

"And whatever is our dear Mr. Elric doing in here today?" Came the little girly voice. "Hmm? Skuttling about on the ground like some..Muggle?"

Ed glanced towards the sound of the furious, incessant scratching and to his surprise saw that the toad woman was nearly leaning over him in her effort to literally look down her nose at what he was doing. He sat back onto his heals and glared up at her, careful to rest his forearms on his thighs to keep his hands well away from the arrays.

"An independent project." Professor Mcgonagall said coldly from the door. "As I recall, Professor Umbridge, you are here to inspect me, not to assess my students' progress in my own classroom for me."

The pink toad made a non-committal noise, and, with a last scratch of her quill to the clipboard, strode out with her head held high.

Mcgonagall's severe face was a study in cold fury as she firmly closed the door once the toad was past the door's frame. He found himself wondering how the inspection was going for the Professor as he looked on blankly at the door for several moments.

"Can't be helped." Ed said softly in Amestrian with a shrug, then looked down at his work. He touched a gloved finger to the containment circle's edge. The twin arrays before him activated as one.


	37. The stalking pink toad

A/N: Looking forward to making Ed the baddest bada$$ ever.. takes time to set it up though. Trying so hard NOT to Mary Sue him, which is a danger since he IS such a bada$$. I mean..in chapter 105 of the manga(YAY!!!!) he's actually gonna kick GOD's a$$...! How awesome is that?

Wanted to squeeze in the detention with Snape..but it would take me a while to perfect it..Snape's a hard one to write for. Sort of like writing for Dumbledore and NOT making it sound like he's lost his mind...Anyway..Thanks for the reviews!! And enjoy!

* * *

Ed looked his paper over once again with a critical eye.

"That it?" Ron said softly.

"Yeah.." Ed replied just as softly in a distracted tone. He took up a quill and scratched something out, and picked up a thick tome he had set aside and flipped through the pages. He skimmed along until he found what he was looking for.

"It's just a punishment essay, mate.."

"There. Dat should do it." Ed said evenly as he scribbled his addition in, and added a footnote on the last page.

"I'm just saying.."

"Shhh!" The librarian hissed as she walked by.

It was lunchtime. Ron and Harry were in the library to look up ingredients for potions. Ed..to write the report to perfection on the subject of Paracelsus.

"I'm just saying it doesn't count for..I mean why bother with this much effort?" Ron whispered as Ed took out fresh parchment for his third rewrite of the paper that day.

"Has to be perfect." Ed said in the same distracted sort of way. Ron scrunched his face in confusion and looked over at Harry. Harry shrugged and continued on in his reading on the properties of 'pickled snapping cabbages'.

"Nutter." Ron muttered under his breath.

"Has his reasons.." Harry said softly. "Last night he told me.."  
"Harry." Ed said in as much a warning tone as he could in a whisper. "My business."

"Ed..I tell everything to Ron and Hermione."

Ed stared at Harry, and frowned. After a few moments, he returned to his paper.

"Fine. Do vhat you vant."

He soon finished up enough to look it over again. In time, he nodded with satisfaction, then got up from the table. He arrived at the dungeon door a bit breathless, but with just enough time to hand in the paper before the warning bell sounded for the next class.

He found the door was locked. He pounded on it with his right, hearing the echoes of his blows in the dank halls. A few dents in the door later, he folded his arms in frustration. He then noticed that there was a tiny gap below the door...just enough to slide the paper through. He bit his cheek, then thought it best to take the better option to be free of the hated thing as soon as he could.

'Besides..it's not like he'll miss it.' Ed thought as he slipped the paper in. He heard the warning bell sound as he stood back up, then hurried on his way. A tinny snicker echoed in the hall behind him.

* * *

"Well..?" Ron whispered in expectation.

Harry turned back to the table, and chewed on his bottom lip. After Ed left in such a huff, Harry wasn't so sure that telling Ron what Ed knew about Hohemheim ..no 'Paracelsus'.. was such a good idea. He looked at Ron's face, and knew instantly that he had to say.. something.

"Um..well. It's complicated." Harry said, and looked away a moment.

"Big surprise there. Don't think a thing's ever simple with 'im." Ron said softly with a snort. "Spill it. I know it's got be good now."

Harry took a breath. Then let it out.

"ok..This stays with you and Hermione." Harry said softly. "Ed said he isn't putting this in his paper. Said he's strickly using just what he can find in here."

"Right. Got it." Ron nodded politely.

"Here goes...Nicholas Flamel wasn't the only one who knew how to make a philosopher's stone. Paracelsus did, too. Only um.. instead of brewing the elixir of life ..According to Ed he used it to steal other people's bodies to keep living. Ed said he was a little over four hundred years old the last time he saw him."

"Wait. Steal..You mean like how Tom Riddle's..um diary.. almost took Ginny's.."

Harry nodded.

Ron swallowed, and his face tumbled into a kind of sick grimmace.

"Tell me the bloke's made it up? I mean, he's a ..a..and they can't..uh.....he says.. but.." Ron stammered, then took a breath. "How's he know?"

"He says Paracelsus's his father."

"You're kiddin'! You mean.. He's really half-blooded? But the charms..I mean you've seen 'im..and the um..And he didn't know.."

"I don't get it, either." Harry said as he leaned back. "'Member I thought he was a just real smart Muggle when I first met him. Now he says he's an alchemist..but I...and still..."

Ron leaned his chin into his hand.

"Whachafigure? "  
"Huh?"

"Is he mental, a liar, or..?"

"Wait..What? Why you say that?"

"Sounds a bit..I dunno..odd. I mean, suddenly telling you, out of the blue, that he happens to have a four-hundred year old dad that's some famous wizard when he himself's a...?" Ron looked at Harry with narrowed eyes. "Like he's trying too hard...the bloke's not exactly popular right now."

Harry frowned, then nodded.

"Yeah..I've noticed." Harry shrugged. "Still..I want to believe him, Ron...I do...and.."

"I'm gettin' a headache." Ron said wearily, then after a few moments, a crafty sort of look appeared on his face. He glanced over at Harry. "You don't suppose ..y'know.. that Ed knows how to make one, too..do you? I mean, since his suppos'd dad knew and all."

"He didn't say." Harry said. "But then..um, look. You come from a wizarding family, and you aren't exactly..well look.. you're good, but not.."

"Yeah.." Ron said with a bit of a scowl. "Just wondering, s'all. I think some extra gold in my pocket would be nice to have once in a while, y'know."

The warning bell chimed, and both Harry and Ron gathered their things. Harry found he had a lot to think about, and he let his eyes study his shoes all the way to the Care of Magical Creatures class.

* * *

The pink toad was in the "Chimeras R Us" class, doing her inspection. Ed ignored her, once more focusing on the snail problem in his notebook. She annoyingly hovered over him for a while, causing a deep shadow over his calculations, but moved on to question the others soon enough.

That night, Ron and Hermione stayed up with him in the common room, waiting for Harry to come back from the grueling detention. He noticed Ron kept looking at him with the strangest expressions on his face, one of which looked something like pity enough that Ed scowled in his annoyance as he struggled on with Charms.

As they waited together, gradually the room emptied out, (though there was certainly something of a wide berth around Ed no matter how crowded the common room got).. Ron moved next to Hermione by the hearth and the two whispered to one another for a long while.

Ed shifted in his chair as Crookshanks jumped up and curled himself into a tawny ball on his belly. He soon snorted his disgust and mentally tagged Charms as 'hopelessly unscientific', (a category which really meant it was largely a waste of his time, joining the likes of 'Divination', 'Care of Magical Creatures', and 'Defense Against Dark Arts'), and returned happily to his snail calculations in his notebook.

In time, Ron's eyes became watery, and soon enough, he was slumped limply in his chair.

Harry came in, holding a bloody scarf to his hand. Hermione dutifully handed over a shallow bowl that had some sort of liquid within, explaining it was "murtlap tentacles" and Harry dipped his hand in the liquid with relief on his face. Seeing that Harry was in good hands for the night, Ed yawned and closed up his notebook. As he freed himself from Crookshanks and stretched, catlike himself, he heard Hermione speaking in a small voice.

"She an awful, horrible woman. Just as you came in, I was telling Ron that we should do something about her."

Harry looked over at the snoring Ron with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean..She's a dreadful teacher. If we don't do something, we won't learn how to defend ourselves this year at all." Hermione said.

"What can we do? She has the post and she's here to stay. Minister Fudge will see to that." Ron said sleepily, rubbing one bleary eye.

"Well..I was thinking..maybe, um..we should do it ourselves." Hermione said.

"Vhat? NOW you.." Ed started loudly as he tumbled to his feet.

Hermione looked at him and frowned.

"DHAT vas de point of me showing you KATAS." Ed said firmly, pulling himself to his full..albeit not very tall..height. "IZ Self-defense."

"This is different." Hermione said with a blush. "We wizar.."

"Show me difference." Ed said impatiently.

"It's Dark magic..Ed..We..um..we aren't...can't really.." Hermione stammered.

"Can't do this with books." Ron said.

"Yeah..I think we're past the point where books would be helpful." Hermione said "We need a teacher."

"Maybe Lupin...?" Harry said

"Lupin's too busy with the Order." Hermione said. "No. I was thinking..maybe... you..?"

Ed folded his arms and smirked. Then chortled as it was clear she was serious about choosing Harry as a self-defense teacher. Ron and Hermione glared at him. Harry..he looked somehow surprised, hurt, and ..if possible..terrified all at once. Ed palmed his face.

"Vriiiight." Ed looked to his friend with the glasses. Ed sighed, sat back down and returned Ron and Hermione's glares. "Tell me. Vhy choose him for dis?"

"He's the best in the year at Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"You don't know what it's like!! All of you-- you've never had to face him, have you? It's not just about memorizing spells and and throwing them at him. Like you're in class or something. The whole time you know there's nothing between you and dying except your own..your own brain or guts or whatever..like you can think straight when.." Harry yelled.

Ed looked at Harry with narrowed eyes as he ranted on and on, argued with Ron. And Hermione. At length, Ed weaved his fingers together and leaned his elbows on his thighs, and frowned as he listened to them yell back and forth. These.. children.. caught in little more than a petty... street brawl.

It wasn't a war ..not likely to ever be worthy of the word in his estimation. When they stopped talking, and silence filled the room...

"Iz true. I have not faced dis Vold- i- mart..." Ed said evenly, then took a breath..and paused. He then shook his head and stood up. "Tch. Zee jou in mornink."

'What am I doing..? This isn't my fight.' He thought to himself as he strode to the spiral stairs that lead to the dorms, not bothering to gather his books or hated!robe to take with him.

* * *

One day flowed into the next, one much the same as the other. The pink toad showing up in classes here and there, clipboard in hand and scribbling down notes. Before he knew it, Friday morning dawned.

He arrived in the dungeons, fully prepared to be bored out of his mind happily fussing with the simplest of alchemic techniques for three hours. He was even careful to bring along the ridiculous scales he had bought in an effort to keep peace with Severous, though he had no idea what the man found wrong with how he measured things.

"Guess I should've eye-balled it like usual instead of doing things the most basic way." Ed muttered in Amestrian as he set the stupid thing up. He made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat as he looked it over on desk, and held one of the weights it came with between his forefinger and thumb -- it was marked as 'one gram'.

"No way this thing's going to be accurate. This is definitely NOT one gram. My pressure plates are more accurate than this, and that's really saying something."

He tossed the weight to the desktop and was about to head over to the cabinet to gather his and Neville's supplies, when Severus stood before them at his own desk. Or rather, looked coldly down at them from his hooked nose. Silence descended upon the class immediately.

"You will notice that we have a guest with us today." Severus said in a low sneer, and gestured to a shadowy, far corner of the room. Ed couldn't see a thing thanks to being a good foot shorter than anyone else present, even when he stood on his tiptoes.

'Has to be the pink toad.' Ed thought as he turned back from his futile effort.

"Instructions.." Severus waved his wand "..are on the board. Carry on."

After he placed both his and (the melted remains of) Nelville's cooking pots on the table, Ed soon returned with the ingredient tray, making sure he did not handle any of the ingredients with his gloved hands. Instead he used tongs, cups, or even spoons to maneuver the things into place on the scales. Severus swept by his table just as he completed one such highly awkward maneuver.

"Detention, Mr. Elric. Today. My office at 5." Severus said maliciously. Ed grit his teeth.

"May I ask vhy?" Ed said, more coolly than he felt as he stood back up to his full height, careful to keep his face stony.

"Certainly. Failure to complete an assignment."

"vhich.."

"The report on Paracelsus, obviously." Severus sneered and moved on towards another table.

Ed banged both hands to the table and leaned on them. Severus turned slightly in his direction.

"It IS complete. As all de books I could find in the library said." Ed said coolly as he met Severus' cold eyes.

"Then where IS it, Elric?" Severus replied. "As you well know, you were to turn it in at the beginning of this class session."

"...Vas turn in alvready."

"That is clearly not the case. 5 points from Gryffindor for this pointless argument."

Ed scowled and lifted his hands from the table. He continued on with the potion assignment and added the orange power to the bubbling liquid in his pot. He saw Neville make a quick glance down, and looked himself. The tabletop before him now had a small dent. He heard the distinct sound of scribbling on a clipboard, and glanced in the direction.

He heard the pink toad mutter something that sounded like "..dangerous half-breeds allowed to attend classes and damage school property..." as she strode by the table with a haughty glance at him from her beady eyes.

Ed snorted in amusement. He caught Neville's confused expression, one that quickly morphed into outrage as he slowly worked out for himself what she meant. Ed grinned widely then slid up his right sleeve a little, enough to expose a bit of shining metal, and whispered out of the side of his mouth.

"Complement vreally. My mechanic did good job, ja?"

"She hasn't the right." Neville whispered back. "I mean..you..a half breed?"

"..been called vorse." Ed shrugged. "Just vords."

"'Cept... Words damage people." Neville replied so softly that Ed almost didn't hear him.


	38. Forging a Connection

A/N: Shorter chappy, but I think I got Snape's voice juuuust right. From Ed's POV anyway.

* * *

Ed scowled. He took the time to scarf down some dinner before he stomped down to the dungeon.

Standing before the door, sorely tempted to just kick the thing open, he instead he pounded on it with his right hand; The ringing sound metal on wood echoed in the hall around him.

"Enter." Severus' voice sneered.

Ed pulled on the door and quickly noticed Severus sitting behind the high desk in the front of the dank, dreary room; his greasy head down slightly as if he were reading something.

Ed strode in and stood before Severus' desk in parade rest; gloved hands clasped behind his back. Though he broiled with anger, he held his head high and kept his face stony. The dungeon door closed with a great echoing bang! Silence filled the dark room, and Ed lost more of his taxed patience with every passing moment. Ed frowned and took a breath.

Severus raised his head, and turned his head slightly. His cold eyes met Ed's gold, and narrowed.

"Mr. Elric." Severus said carefully, and tossed a familiar parchment to his desk. "I expected much more of you."

Ed flicked his eyes to the paper a moment, and glared at Severous.

"You found it." Ed said simply as he made to lift a leg. "Goot. I vill go now."

"You are not dismissed, Elric." Severus said.

Severus stood slowly as Ed again settled into parade rest and glared.

"You have de paper. Is complete. Dhere is no need for dis detention."

"So I saw. Impressive bibliography. Once it is recovered from Peeves, it should prove..quite useful. No. From what I have heard from a certain reliable source, this report is..indeed, incomplete." Ed narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn't speak. He watched Severus emerge from behind his desk. Their eyes met again.

"One can say, Mr. Elric, that you..shall we say..have the honor to take after the alchemist I assigned to you in this paper."

Ed's temper flared, and he inhaled as he flex his hands into fists.

"Shut it. You know not a damn ting about me."

Severus raised a single eyebrow.

"..Or him for that matter." Severus continued coolly, face unreadable. "... And there is the problem before us. Recall, if you will, that I was the one to have treated you for an injury that only a Muggle can have. Tell me..what is that white plane where that thing is suspended..?"

Ed swallowed his bile, fiery anger replaced by ice in an instant. He tried to look away from the cold eyes that seemed just now to be boring into him, but Severus grabbed his chin with his long fingers; He froze under the man's gaze.

"Answer my question, Mr. Elric." Severus said quietly.

"I-i don't know." Ed said softly, finding it difficult to make his tongue work the English. Severus' upper lip curled back and he roughly released his hold on Ed's chin, and backed up a step. Ed saw he was about to turn away.

"You. Have seen it." Ed said the statement carefully.

Severus drew himself to his full height.

"When I drew you back..this summer. In your mind."

"My..mind..." Ed said, and recalled his expulsion hearing in Dumbledore's office, the flash of the Gate right before him for no reason. "You. You did someting..at de hearing last veek..dat vas de same vay you..?"

Severus gave the tiniest of nods. Ed swallowed, not sure if he should feel violated or thankful. At the moment..it was something of a mixture of both. His mind whirled.

"I see..I vas mistaken vith my assumption..." Ed stammered, as his face scrunched in thought, and his eyes darted about.

'You went for my mind.. not my soul..body was still here..my soul followed my mind..instead of the other way around? That even possible..?' Ed thought and looked back to Severus, who had on his usual sneer mask. Ed rubbed the lower half of his face with his gloved left hand.

"I have someting to ask you." Ed said. "Magic.." Ed's nose wrinkled in disgust. "..it does not seem to follow de laws that I know. Since you used it to get me back.. did you actually have anyting taken like I feared..?"

"And what laws are you referring to, Elric?"

"I answered your question. Answer mine in return first."

Severus' eyes narrowed.

"And that is relevant? I remind you that I am the Professor here."

Ed rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

"Fine. Laws are called Equivalent Exchange and Divine Providence, among odhers, like any odher science, ok?"

"Explain. Start with this..Equivalent Exchange. You seem to be quite fond of the phrase."

Ed's frown matched his scowl. Then he took a breath and let it out. Then, as if he were reciting it from a textbook, said:

"Humankind cannot gain anyting vithout first giving up someting in return. That is the law of Equivalent Exchange."

"Correct," Severus said coldly as he turned away. "That is the basis of the subtle science used for Potions..though I have never actually heard it phrased in such a manner."

Ed watched as the man walked around him, looking down his hooked nose at him the entire time, hands clasped behind his back. Ed felt his skin crawling under the scrutiny, and clenched his hands into fists.

"Mr. Elric." Severus said haughtily. "Being what you are, how is it you can get past the protections of this place?"  
"vhy is dat.."  
"Answer the question."  
"I. Just. Do." Ed said though clenched teeth.

"And you defeated no less than 3 Aurors."  
"So."  
"Convenient, isn't it? Someone like you, so obviously skilled ..just happening in the right place at the right time.."

"Vhat are you.."

"..Meeting a famous wizard while he's on holiday, just before a war.."

"Var..?"

Severus stopped circling and faced him, cold eyes glaring.

"You know very well a war is about to begin, Elric. And I think you have known for quite some time." Severus said coldly, and began to draw out his wand. "What is it you are really up to?"

"I am student. Dat's all." Ed said, eyes flicking to the wand as he went into his deceptively relaxed stance, arms still folded across his chest.

"I know full well what you are. Legends remain, fragments really, but they all say only a true Alchemist can kill with a touch."

Ed frowned.

"I did not kill.."

Ed felt the distinctive hum of an active array in his chest, and took a breath and held it. He focused on the feeling, knowing that judging when the 'array' would go 'off' this close would be real tricky from his failure with Lupin.

'Like a grenade- in- a- rain -barrel kind of tricky..' Ed thought, and fervently hoped it whatever Severus wanted to hit him with wasn't lethal should he judge wrong.

"Tell me what it is you are here for. To forge a philospher's stone, perhaps?"

"No! I vant nodhing to do vith de damned ting." Ed spat angrily and lowered his arms to his sides. He shook out his hands, hoping that would make Severus lower his wand. The array shining balanced in his mind wasn't affected, as he held onto the flowing energy throughout his staged movements. It was a gamble, especially since Severus could access his mind somehow, but worth a try. "Besides, I heard dhat Dubbledore guy alvready forged vone." He added with a touch of true bitterness in his voice.

He watched as Severus raised a single eyebrow.

"And where did you hear that?"

"A certain, reliable source of my own. If it is true, dhen I want nodhing to do vith him, either. Someone who is capable of that is not someone I vould vant to trust."

Severus nodded a small nod, and slipped the wand into a pocket of his robe, not taking his eyes off of Ed's.

"I am not Dumbledore, Elric."

"Dhat..I tink, is goot ting."

The feeling of the array faded slowly.


	39. Hogsmeade

A/N: Now that it's well established that Hogwarts is no wonderland for Ed.. I believe it's time for a new arch.

Ah..due to the latest complaint on Ed's accent, here's bit o' the guide I have in my head.

Please note- His accent gets worse when he's tired, upset, or even just uncomfortable --(Established in earlier chapters, and I didn't want to repeat myself in this regard-- perhaps I should have, given the numerous complaints I've received.) Things like this happen in real life all the time. The more upset he is, the less understandable he is, and the more likely he'll slip into speaking his native language, or even another he knows well.

I believe I have already established that it sounds a lot like German, but it's not. It's a made up accent. I started with it in story, and I have to be consistent. I think it takes more than a year to get fluent in a language anyway, even when one is a genius. This chapter he's ~8 months in England.

'dh', 'd' when there should be a 'th' or a 't' -- means it's a really soft 't' that almost sounds like a 'd' but not quite.

ending in 'ink' or even 'int' when it should be 'ing'- the 'g' is a harder than necessary 'g'

'vr' - 'r' at beginning of word. --kind of a like a puff of air right before the 'r'

'v' - 'w'

'vw' - closer to true 'w' usually only when he's calm and rational and can concentrate on pronouncing it right.

Hope it's helpful:D

Enjoy!

* * *

Harry's detentions with Umbridge were finally over, and he doubted if the etched letters would ever fade entirely from the back of his hand.

It was a windy Saturday, September was rounding out, and Hermione had not mentioned the Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons once since the day she had first suggested it. Harry was beginning to think the whole idea was dropped. He regarded his pile of homework that he had amassed under his arm, and yet again, looked longingly at the clear sky above the courtyard.

A blue light flashed in the far corner. It was early, barely past breakfast and there were not that many students up just yet. (Harry himself was only up this early to meet up with Hermione and Ron in the library.) Curious, he crept along ..past the gargoyles and fountains, back to a forgotten corner where there was but a dirt patch instead of lush grass.

It was Ed. Long hair pulled back into a ponytail, back to Harry, crouched low to the ground and muttering aloud in a language Harry recognised but didn't understand. As Harry watched, Ed took out his ivory wand and drew something on the ground with its tip.

'Odd..' Harry thought. 'No..wait..That's right..his wand isn't real one.'

Ed then stood up, cocked his head a bit to the side as he, Harry supposed, looked over what he just drew in the dirt. Then Ed took a step to the side, bent low, and scratched at the ground with the wand tip again, this time a few feet away. After a few moments of doing this, Ed then straightened up and seemed to look about as if he lost something important.

In the midst of his search, Ed startled when he looked behind him, as if he hadn't realised Harry was present before. His eyes were somewhat bloodshot around the gold, and Harry saw something that looked like puffy bags beneath the lower lids.

"..Mornik Harrie. You have not seen any snails, have you?"

"Snails?" Harry said, "You mean.. you're still.."

Ed's face became decidedly stony within moments, and he flicked his eyes about on the ground.

"Ah! ..dhere." Ed exclaimed, and he eased up from his crouch to retrieve what he was looking for.

Harry walked closer to the dirt patch, and looked it over.

"Vhat ever you do..do not touch dhem. ok?" Harry glanced to Ed, saw the seriousness on his face, and nodded.

What he saw on the ground took his breath away--a series of circles within circles, patterns..shapes..It looked interconnected and interdependent and complex and so precise...

'Beautiful..' Harry thought as he looked at it. And he noticed the second one..only a few feet away. Identical as far as Harry could tell to the first before him.

Harry took a step back as Ed returned to the dirt patch and gingerly lowered the snail to a tiny circle within a circle near the center.

"This.." Harry began. "Um...it's way different than what you had on paper that.."

Ed waved him off.

"Iz same..jus simpler." Ed said with a yawn. "More..primitive. Ze calculations..pfft. Jus..I do not vant to be havink to redo dhem."

"Calculations?"

"Tink like long division..big number by nother big number. Is big pain to do..but.." Ed said, rubbing his eyes with his gloved left. "Eh.. Dhis. Last vone tonight."

Harry's eye widened.

"Ed..it's almost 9.. "

"Yeah...Pulled all nighter. " Ed said as he squatted to the side of a drawn pattern, and briefly closed his golden eyes.

"But..Filch..and Mrs. Norris.."

"..Did not catch me." Ed said absently with a dismissive wave of his left hand.

Ed touched a finger to the outer edge of the pattern, and before Harry's eyes, BOTH patterns began to glow with a blue light. As as wind blew upwards from the ground, tiny bolts of blue lightning shot upwards before him, and Harry flinched back. When the light faded, Harry saw that the snail within the circle was still there..feelers wiggling about.

Harry looked to Ed tired face, feeling a twinge of sympathy over this failure on the Transfiguration, which he, Hermione, Ron, and even Neville, (who Harry knew was far from being all that good at any sort of magic except that which involved plants), had long since moved past.

Before he could say so much of a 'better luck next time'..or a 'keep trying' to encourage Ed along, he glanced at Ed's tired face and saw a small smile... One somewhere between a smirk and a frown.

Ed then stood up with another yawn, and brushed his foot across both designs.

"Ed..! What're you...! Stop!"

Harry watched, confused and oddly saddened by Ed's deliberate act; though the designs were only etched in dirt, it was much like having to watch someone destroy some priceless treasure. When he finished at his task, Ed waved over his shoulder at Harry, headed in the general direction of Gryffindor Tower.

Harry shook his head, and continued on his way to the Library, where Hermione and Ron were waiting for him. He soon found out that Hermione hadn't forgotten the idea at all.

* * *

Ed trudged along the path following Ron, Hermione, and Harry..head held low against the blowing wind. He grumbled occasionally in Amestrain as he kicked at rocks and irritably fiddled with the hated!robe he was forced to wear on this trip he didn't really want to be on. Yet he didn't want to be alone on this day of all days, either.

Which was what would have happened had he not allowed Neville to convince him to come along in the library that morning.

'Why did I let him talk me into this?' Ed thought as he stood before the twin columns, winged boars perched ominously at the tops, that marked the entrance of the village of Hogsmeade.

"Is zoo, vright?" Ed said, eying the sculptures suspiciously.

"It's a real wizard village, Ed." Neville said cheerfully with a smile on his round face. "It'll be good for you to see for yourself how wizards live, since you're..um..Muggleborn and all."

"Fine. Place vhere people are on display, not animal." Ed said in a factual manner, with a glance to Neville. "Same dhing..no?"

"C'on" Neville said softly, with a slight frown on his face as he slowly worked out what Ed meant for himself. "..I'll show you 'round. Least I can do for your help in Potions. We'll meet up with Harry later."

"You help me in Herbology. A tour iz not Equivalent." Ed complained as he trudged on past Ron, Hermione, and Harry. "I'll owe you.."

"oh..don't worry about it.." Nelville said. "it's no trouble, really.."

It was the first Hogsmeade weekend, the first weekend of October, and Harry was something of a mixed bag of pride at the thought that Hermione and Ron had thought so highly of him, and something that was surely terror with the realization that Hermione had spread the word of the idea about the school.

"No one's going to show." Harry said glumly to his feet. "They all think I'm a nutter, remember?"

"I think you'll be surprised at how many people want to hear from you." Hermione said seriously.

Neville stopped off at a candy store first. When he and Ed emerged with their purchases, Ed had several lollipops and a wrapped something called a 'flaming blue' ; Neville a small collection of chocolate frogs. As they walked along Neville dutifully pointed out the joke shop across the way, ("Zonkos", the sign read; Ed saw with some amusement that the Weasley twins emerged with bags stuffed full) .. And the various pubs that lined the narrow street; the most crowded of which had a hanging sign that read "Three Broomsticks".

As he took in the sights, Ed thought the the village looked somewhat run down, and worn out.

'Must be the buildings.." Ed thought, examining the leaning medieval houses with the high pitched roofs.'But not as bad as those Isballan slums..'

They were making their way through that crowd of students on the narrow main street..named "High Street" outside the pub when someone's shoulder collided Ed's forehead.

Ed hissed in pain through his teeth.

"Hey!!" Neville yelled.

"Watch it..! You.." A voice yelled loudly, but Ed couldn't make out the rest.

Ed's left hand rubbed his aching nose...the impact had hit just right. Then. He felt the distinct hum of an array in his chest. It was close by, and he snapped open his golden eyes open.. looking wildly about for the source before the thing went off. There was only the sea of faces surrounding him.. He couldn't see any telltale glow..nor any wand pointed at him.

Swallowing his panic, he pushed on through towards a less crowded area he hoped was ahead, none too gently pushing Neville along the way with his right.

"OY! Ed..Ow!..knock it off.." Neville glanced behind him at Ed in annoyance.

That was when Ed felt the slight tug at his belt. He glanced down in disbelief. Before his startled eyes.. his watch.. and what was left of the attached chain.. rose up. He made a try to grab it with both hands, but it flew off beyond his reach..seemingly of its own accord. Nelville, a full foot taller than he, even tried to grab it, but failed just as miserably at the task.

"Vat da shit!!" Ed swore loudly, and he watched where it went. The feeling of the array faded as abruptly as it began. "Neville..I'll be right back.." Ed said distractedly as he tracked the watch with his eyes.

"Ed..? It's just a..What's so import.."

But Ed was already in motion before Neville could finish saying what he was going to ask, running down the alley that jutted off the narrow main street at his fullest speed. Purchases and hated!robe discarded behind him.

'Never that easy..' Ed thought as he rounded the corner just as the watch landed into the waiting...curiously gloved.. hand of one Draco Malfoy. Ed slowed to a stomping walk and leveled his golden gaze at the boy.

Draco grinned evilly as he pointed his wand at Ed. The hum of the array in his chest made Ed stop his approach a few yards away.

"Hand it over. Now." Ed demanded angrily, several balanced equations running through his mind.

"Oh..what? This?" Draco said in mock innocence as he held up the watch by the chain and gave it a little swing. "I wonder..what's a tiny, no talent, mudblood, like you.."

Ed's vein at his temple, already throbbing from his attempt to keep his temper on this day of all days..exploded at the sound of the hated word.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO TINY HE COULD RIDE A KNAT LIKE A HORSE???!!!" Ed bellowed as he slapped his palms together and smoothly reached for the ground.

"Reducto!" Malfoy squeeked shrilly...

Ed fingers just touched the ground when he felt the array go off. Blue lightening flashed and momentarily blinded him as the equation he chose began. But he was already in motion when he heard the impact of SOMETHING clank! hard against his right port. His back slammed against the alley wall from the force of whatever it was that hit him. The wall held, and Ed heard the sound of rocks landing all about. Before him, in the thick dust that filled the alley..he could make out the remains of his stone fist..The equation that had acted as both shield and weapon...

Only the stone wrist remained.

No array buzzed in his chest for the time being.

Judging himself relatively safe, Ed glanced down to his right port, still covered by his white long sleeved shirt, and quickly ran his arm through some isometrics ..As he did so he touched his left fingers gingerly to the impact site ..by feel, he could tell the port was dented in slightly..but not enough to effect his breathing.

'Good ol' Granny Pikano..' Ed thought as he scowled in Draco's general direction. 'Makes the best there is..'

He heard rather Malfoy's panicked breaths in the dust of the alley, and Ed angrily slapped his hands together as he stood once more. Then..to his surprise..he heard the sound of hurried footsteps that headed off into the distance. That told him all he needed to know of his foe.

Rather than fight..Draco Malfoy had chosen to flee.

"Never. Easy.." Ed said in Amestrain, and chased after him.


	40. Hogsmeade :a ruff patch

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!!!

I tried to find all I could on a certain character that appears in this here chapter and you know what..? After all that JKR treated him like he was just a stock character in her books!! Dammit! Such potential there and all..! Anyhow, I embellished a bit with him, hope you like.

This may or may not be the final arch..or the lead up to the final arc...I haven't decided yet. Still have to figure a way for Jon to make at least a cameo.

oops--got 'reducto' confused w/ 'protego':P Thnx!!

* * *

He could tell within five minutes that Malfoy was not used to running. At all. The boy was breathing so heavy, it was a wonder that he was still moving. Malfoy did have one advantage..he was not the one weighed down with 2 heavy metal limbs; but Ed was not one to give up easily. He was in much better shape and slowly was closing the gap.

As he chased after the boy, Ed had to constantly duck, dive, and dodge out of the way of whatever the boy shot at him with his stick. Some of the shots turned the ground he was just on into a kind of sticky goo. He had a pretty good idea of what would have happened should they have actually hit him.

'Good thing Malfoy's a lousy shot.' Ed thought, as he clapped his hands mid-stride, balanced equation shining in his mind. The hum in his chest told him that Malfoy was just about to...now..!

"Reducto!" the boy half-turned as he stepped, stick shooting off a red light.

Ed leaped into a handspring to the side, and the red light flew low, ..just under him. He let the energy flow just as his hands touched the ground. Blue lightening arched and ran all along the ground. As Ed completed his move, and pushed off the ground to find his feet, he grabbed what the equation had created: a chain.

The red spell struck the ground just to his side, and stingingly smacked small rocks and bits of dirt into his upper arm and torso. Ed ignored it. He yanked the chain hard as the equation completed, blue arcs of energy shooting off right beneath Malfoy's feet and a bit in front. The boy scrambled onwards, and Ed gave the chain another good yank with his right.

'Rabbit traps..' Ed thought as he narrowed his eyes. ".. vork every time..."

The noose on the end, blue light arching, was now formed and closing beneath Malfoy. The boy glanced down and..well 'jumped' is too neat a word for the panicked, scrambling, wildly kicking kind of dance he did to get the chain away from his feet before he continued on his way.

Ed threw the chain down in frustration, and followed.

* * *

"I checked the rules..we're not out of bounds." Hermione said as she entered the Hog's Head right after Ron and closed the door. Harry nodded as he looked around the pub, to indicate he heard what she said more than he approved of her choice.

Dust and grime covered the windows, blocking out the bright autumn sun and made the interior dark. Beneath his feet the floor looked to be made of earth and smelled vaguely of goat; with but a little scruff with his ugly-but-comfortable!shoe he saw that the floor at one time had been tile. He looked to the bar, and the barman glared back in what looked to be annoyance as he picked up a filthy glass to rub with an equally filthy rag.

"Why..?" Ron said. "The Three Broomsticks..?"

"Is too crowded and we'll be overheard. Here..well..look there's hardly anyone." Hermione said as she found an empty table, or rather, chose an empty table in the far corner ..Harry noticed that the top covered in a thick layer of dust.. and sat down.

"Can't imagine why... this place's a bit.. dodgy ..isn't it." Ron muttered softly as he took his seat next to her. Harry saw that, aside from the barman, there were a few others. Faces covered in the shadows with hoods, or, in the case of the witch by the hearth, a thick veil the entirely hid her face from view.

"The others will be here soon." Hermione said to Harry.

"How many did you..?"

"Just a few, relax."

Harry swallowed and paced by the table, noticing as he did so that the chairs were just as dust covered as the tabletop. He didn't have long to wait. The door soon opened. Harry looked up nervously from his study of the filth beneath his feet.

It was Neville, accompanied with Lavender and Dean. They were followed by Luna Lovegood, who looked so dreamy she may have wandered in on accident. Then there was Katie Bell, Alicia Spinner, and Angelina. Three Ravenclaw boys Harry recognised but couldn't remember the names of. And some Hufflepuffs that Harry knew to be on the Quiddich team. Lastly..The Fred and George Weasley, accompanied by their friend Lee Jordan.

"A few people?!?" Harry said incredulously.

"Well, the idea seemed real popular..." Hermione said happily.

"Can't.. I mean, what'd you tell them? What am I.." Harry stammered.

"They'll just want to hear what you have to say." Hermione said. "That's all."

Harry noticed Neville peering about as if he were looking hard for something with a deep frown creasing face. In moments, Neville glanced to Harry and took a breath.

"Ed's not here." Neville said in a low disappointed voice.

"No, mate. Wasn't he with.." Ron said.

"Yeah.. um he was ...Left me so fast.. I tried...but I couldn't follow him. " Neville said softly.

Harry took a single step towards the door.

"The git." Ron said bitterly, with a derisive snort. "..Doing that to you, Neville? Besides..Really didn't think he'd show."

Harry glanced over at Ron with an intelligent. "Huh..?"

"He laughed, 'member." Ron said angrily as he folded his arms across his chest. Harry frowned but nodded as he looked to his shoes. Then he took a breath and let it out.

"I rather think that this is more important, anyway." Hermione added. "Right Ron?"

"Right." Ron said with a rather serious-looking frown.

The first meeting of what would be called Dumbledore's Army began as soon as the dusty bottles of butterbeers were passed around. No one noticed the windows as they rattled a bit more than usual..it was a rather windy October day, afterall.

* * *

Now just a hand's breadth away, Ed jumped to tackle. Midair, he felt an array activate again, and gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn't dodge. He saw Malfoy spin about, wildly brandishing the stick.

"Stupif--" Ed saw the energy gather. "--yy!!" ..and leave the stick's pointy end..sailing high, just past his shoulder port..moving like it was a rock instead of pure energy.

The result of the spin was that Ed missed his target by inches..and had to turn the leap into an awkward handspring instead. He landed on his feet, back to his quarry by necessity. He heard a scraping of feet on dirt behind him, and glanced in time to see Malfoy scramble from the ground -- The boy had tripped as he spun away in that desperate dodge. Malfoy ran on, and Ed narrowed his eyes.

They were closer to the rail tracks than to the village, and Ed decided enough was enough.

He clapped, leaned down and slammed both hands to the ground. Balanced equation shined firmly in his mind, and blue bolts arched along the ground to and all around the running figure behind him. A series of iron bars rose up before Malfoy first, forming a barred wall, and the boy actually bodily slammed right into them. The equation completed itself by the time Malfoy turned around, and undoubtedly saw three other such walls around him.

"Finite... Incantatem..!" Malfoy squeeked through his labored breathing.

Ed didn't even have to look to see that the boy was still caged... He knew those were the words to end generally any spell. As he rose from the ground he again felt the hum of an active array in his chest. He immediately turned about and leveled his glare at Malfoy only to see the stick pointing at him in a quivering hand.

"Get dat stick off me or I vill do it for you." Ed spat out.

"Let me out." Malfoy said imperiously, though the effect was ruined a bit by the break in his voice and his labored breaths. "I mean it."

Ed slapped his hands together and held one low to the ground. "Give me back my vatch and I vill tink about letting you go. Equivalent?"

"I-I dropped it...! You're welcome..(gasp) to have a go at looking for it..(gasp) in the dirt back there since you're quite..(wheese) at home with ROLLING in it." Malfoy sneered. "Let me out. Now."

"vRiiiight. You such great TALENTED vizard.." Ed said with narrowed eyes.. "..get yourself out."

"You...! Filthy MUDBLOOD!!" Malfoy snarled, and he saw the red energy gather at the wand tip. Ed slapped his hand to the ground, and blue bolts arched all around. The equation completed and dust rose from the ground just as the wand shot out its bolt of energy. Ed was already in motion by the time it struck where he had been. He could hear the rocks as they rained back down to the soil.

He heard Malfoy give a sort of growl in frustration as the wind revealed, Ed supposed, that he had completely missed his target.

By then, Ed had run behind Malfoy, and watched the boy's back through the bars of his creation. He still felt the hum of an array in his chest, but it he barely noticed it. He cocked his head. Malfoy didn't even notice he was there, watching.

'No situational awareness..What so ever..Better just smash the brat's face in and search him while he's out..', Ed thought and flexed his hands into fists.

-Pop!-

Someone large..and rather hairy.. appeared --no, the term was 'apporated' Ed corrected himself -- in the cage right behind Malfoy. The man was in a dark trench coat that looked a few sizes too small for his frame, and loomed over the boy.

Malfoy immediately turned about and cried out a short, but high pitched scream that made Ed clench his teeth and screw his eyes.

"Greyback?!?" Malfoy gasped.

Ed saw him try to cram himself as far as possible away from Mr. Hairy..which happened to be the corner of the cage across from Ed... Gray eyes wide with real fear. Mr. Hairy chortled in a nasty way and leaned a hand against the bars above Malfoy.

"'Samatter. I can't have a bit of a bite while on this errand for your daddy?" Rasped the man's voice.

Malfoy cringed even further down, and glanced wildly about. That was when he saw Ed, and his locked his wide gaze just a bit too long. Mr. Hairy took notice and glanced back himself. Ed saw that the big man had startling blue eyes, and a face that was covered with what looked to be matted hair, and was bit too.. feral.. to be completely human.

"Well, well." The man rasped, and turned about in the cage. "What.. have.. we.. here.."

The man took a great sniff and drew himself to his full height.

The man, of course towered over Ed by several feet, a fact that only fueled Ed's anger. Ed snorted in derision, and folded his arms across his chest, but did not break his gaze. The man grunted, grinned evilly, and leaned into is hands on the bars. Ed noted several pointed teeth in that smile, and narrowed his eyes.

"Not much to look at, is he." The man rasped and turned his head, casually glancing back at Malfoy. Ed noticed Malfoy flinched back -- mildly surprised that it was even possible -- against the cage bars. "Watcha waiting for.. introduce us, boy."

The man eased his gaze back to Ed.

Ed felt the hum of an active array in his chest, and quickly flicked his eyes to the source. Malfoy held his wand before him in both hands like a sword, pointy end roughly towards Mr. Hairy, but it was shaking so badly in his hands that Ed doubted he'd hit his target.

'Unless the target includes me, which IS possible.' Ed thought.

"Now, boy." The rasp turned into something of a growl.

"He's Edward Elric." Malfoy squeeked out. Then, he swallowed. "Elric. This is F-fenir Greyback. H-he's a...a.."

"There's a good boy..." Mr. Hairy casually turned away, faced Malfoy once more. "Now. Hand it over."

Ed heard something like a growl come from the man, and Malfoy's wand.. just flew from his hands. Mr. Hairy reached down and lifted the boy up and held him there in the corner with one hand. Malfoy's eyes widened with terror as the man leaned in...

Ed slapped his palm to the bars, and blue energy arched. The bars deconstructed all at once in but a moment. Malfoy fell to the ground and backpedaled away a fast as he could on while on his backside.

Mr. Hairy glanced back at Ed, and narrowed his eyes.

"Oops." Ed said, and evenly met his gaze. Not liking the looks of Mr. Hairy one bit, he again folded his arms, and entered his deceptive fighting stance. Ed kept Mr. Hairy in view as he made his way towards Malfoy, and noticed that the man watched him the entire way with something like contempt on his face.

Halfway there, he glanced to Malfoy. The boy's eyes..still wide with fear, flicked between Ed and Mr. Hairy. Before Ed could so much as blink, the boy reached into his pocket and tossed something towards the man..a round silver something with a chain attached. Then Malfoy rolled over and scrambled to his feet. As he ran off, Ed scowled and flicked his eyes to where the object landed.

He saw that, for once..the boy had hit his target: Mr. Hairy had his watch clenched in one meaty hand.

"Never. Fucking. Easy." Ed swore loudly in Amestrian and let out a breath.

* * *

"Give to me my vatch." Ed said in careful English as he glared at the man.

"Oh. This yours..?" Mr. Hairy rasped. He then sniffed at the watch in his hand, and slipped it into the pocket of his dark, too small, trench coat. "Mine now, isn't it, little.."

"DO NOT CALL ME LITTLE, SMALL, TINY, OR ANYTING LIKE DAT!!" Ed nearly yelled. "I AM NOT SMALL!!"

Mr. Hairy chuckled aloud in that rasping voice; it sounded something like a bark to Ed. Ed narrowed his eyes, and fully entered his fight stance, right arm leading.

"Ho-ho!" Mr. Hairy rasped. "What's this..?"

"You have someting of mine. Give it back." Ed said in a low growl of his own.

Mr. Hairy looked at him, still chuckling...and ran his thumbs over his rather yellowed and tattered finernails.

"I guess I'll get a bite after all." he rasped, then without warning, lunged.

Ed waited until the man was right on top of him, then snapped up his right forearm. The man's strangely open jaws were forced shut, with a loud audible crack! Ed then completed the move and easily tossed the man right over his head, using his momentum against him. Ed was again in his fight stance, facing him, when the man landed some yards away in the dirt.

After a few moment of rubbing his jaw, the man picked himself back up to his feet. A mad gleam shined in his eyes, one that Ed recognised.

'Like Barry the Chopper...'

"I ask nice." Ed said calmly. "Give me back my vatch."

"It's mine..!" Rasped the voice. "..Pipsqueek." He added with a feral grin.

The man charged, again. Lunged down to bite, again.

'Easy to read.' Ed dove down to the ground at the last second, below the grasping outstretched arms, rolled, and kicked up hard with his left. The open jaw again snapped shut with a sickening crack!. Ed used the man's momentum to toss him over, using mostly his feet. Smoothly, he returned to his fight stance and faced the man on the ground, right arm leading.

Though it looked like the man landed on his face, Ed watched as he got back to his feet, stood and glared. Mad gleam still shining in his eyes.

"Ha! Not many can manage that." His voice rasped. "..Cracking my bones. Something to be said about this Muggle way of dueling..." The man cracked his neck with a twitch of his head. "Now.. this won't hurt a bit.."

The man reached into a pocket of his too small trench coat. Ed felt the hum of an active array, and knew what it was before he even saw what the man was reaching for. Ed slapped his hands together, and touched his right arm. Blue light flashed, and his forearm plate extended to his signature blade. This he immediately held to the man's chin.

"Let go of vhatever spell, jinx, or vhatis you are trying to do, and for last time: Give me back my vatch."

The man froze, mad smile plastered on his face as he looked at Ed.

Ed leaned in slightly, drawing a thin line of blood beneath the man's hairy chin. The smile widened as he realised that Ed was not about to back down. His hands rose up slowly.

"I know that look well." Mr. Hairy rasped. "You've killed before..."

"Shut it." Ed snapped. "De vatch. Now."

Mr. Hairy's hands shot up, and took hold of his blade in a firm grip that sliced deep gouges in his palms. He viciously shoved the blade aside at the same time as he lunged forward again, jaws open wide. Ed's left knee snapped up and struck the jaw closed once again, and he kicked the man back as hard as he could. The man landed on his backside, but that didn't last long. As soon as Ed brought his foot down to the ground from the kick, the man was lunging at him once more.

Ed leaped back into a one handed back handspring that again targeted that open jaw, snapping in shut this time with BOTH feet. The man wasn't knocked back much from the blow, but Ed had the space he needed. He chanced a glance ..

'Malfoy's almost safe..' Ed thought. '..Nearly to the village now..'

Balanced equation shining in his mind, he slapped his palms together just as the man was lunging down to bite at him again. He slapped his hands to the ground and released the warming energy..the equation did the rest in a flash blue lightning..

Mr. Hairy got a stone fist right square to the nose.

Ed got a much needed boost out of harm's way...one that launched him in air to land, after a roll and a few one handed handsprings, on unsteady feet near the fleeing Malfoy.

Ed glanced at Malfoy, and saw his eyes widen in terror once they settled on his arm blade..Dripping in blood as it was. It extended out from beneath his long sleeved shirt, which was not longer as white and pristine as it had been earlier that day. Ed glanced down and saw that it too, had quite a bit of blood on it.

"At least it's intact this time." Ed said in Amestrian, and narrowed his eyes as he looked back at Mr. Hairy. Or where he should have been by the (now distant) railroad tracks.

But the man ...was gone.

___________________


	41. Golden rules

A/N: Delayed because of RL and because this was a difficult chapter to get juuuust right. There were many things I was going to have Ed do..(including dance, mostly because I found a link to the latest FMA game in which he dances for Winry --at least I guess that's what it's about. It just would've been TOOO CUTE!!! But then, I remembered that my Ed's in a real bad mood ATM, and really not likely to do such a thing.) ..I toned it down and really considered how Draco would handle things. I know most of the time he gets others to do his dirty work for him, and he's a big coward, but this time he was in a bit of a jam--All because he was arrogant.

Ah--about JKR werewolves...no, silver does not hurt them at all.

Anyhow..Enjoy!! And thanks for the reviews:D

* * *

Ed glanced at Malfoy, and saw his eyes widen in terror once they settled on his arm blade..Dripping in blood as it was. It extended out from beneath his long sleeved shirt, which was not longer as white and pristine as it had been earlier that day. Ed glanced down and saw that it too, had quite a bit of blood on it.

"At least it's intact this time." Ed said in Amestrian, and narrowed his eyes as he looked back at Mr. Hairy. Or where he should have been by the (now distant) rail tracks.

But the man ...was gone.

Ed turned and glared at Malfoy.

The boy held out his wand in a shaking hand as he backpedaled.

Ed flicked his eyes once to the 'weapon', (in his chest there was no hum of an active array at the moment), strode over, and grabbed the collar of the boy's robe firmly in his left hand. Ed met and held the boy's panicked gaze. Ed was shorter by a good foot than the boy, and that fact did not help his mood at all.  
"Let go of me you..F-flithy..Mudbl.." Malfoy spat in a squeaky cracking voice.

Ed lifted his right slowly, menacingly, so that it was within Malfoy's view. He watched as Malfoy abruptly stopped and swallowed. A slight sheen of sweat emerged on the boy's forehead as they stood there in the wind.  
"You vill. Tell me vat your fadher vanted my vatch for. Now, boy-child." Ed said in a low, calm voice.

"IDON'TKNOWHEDIDN'TTELLME." Malfoy finally yelled in a panic, as he squinted his eyes shut tight.

"Tch." Ed released his hold on the boy's collar in disgust, and gave Malfoy a little shove to move him aside. "Fukken tief." Ed muttered, then walked a few steps away into the alley.

His nose wrinkled as he lifted up his bloody arm blade to give it a good look. The blade he had crafted extended a foot and a half out from his wrist, beneath his long (and now bloody) white dress shirt sleeve, and the blood was drying fast in the wind.

He clapped his gloved left palm down onto the wrist, and focused onto the equation that he would need to simultaneously clean the blade of blood and revert it back to his forearm plate. He had it balanced, and had just released the circulating energy when he felt the hum in his chest. Blue energy arced from his living hand at the same time that he took a deep breath, stopped walking, and turned his head to glance behind him.

Malfoy had his wand pointed right at him. And as he watched, red energy was gathering at the tip.

'Should have broken that damn wand...' Ed thought, and rolled his eyes skyward. He would have sworn in several languages at his own stupidity, but instead just ground his teeth in frustration.

"I did not have anything to do with your watch, is that clear?" Malfoy said, voice cracking.

Ed frowned. Left hand still clamped onto his right wrist. Arm blade gone.

"You will be quiet about this, Elric. Not a single word to anyone." Malfoy said in a low voice.

"What vill you give me if I..?"

"..It's my word against yours. No one saw me but you, not even Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm a prefect." Malfoy interrupted in a soft sneer. "No one's going to believe the likes of you. You're just a.. Mu.." Malfoy stumbled over using his favored insult, Ed supposed.

Ed moved his arms slightly...letting his back hide the movement. He focused on the hum in his chest. There was a subtle ebb and flow of the energy; The pulse was quick..most likely like the heart of the panicked boy behind him.

'Tricky..' Ed thought '..almost too close to judge..'

".. just barely getting by at Hogwarts as it is. Besides ...I'm sure that no one important at the Ministry knows you.. or your family. My father ..well he has a lot of friends there that will be more than happy to help me...and..and ..Oh ..hell with it. Obliv.."

Ed quickly ducked low, and rolled backwards in one smooth movement. He snapped a foot to Malfoy's outstretched arm while he was in motion; it connected at the heel with a distinctive loud twack!

Malfoy cried out and nearly bent in two to cradle the injured arm. His wand, momentarily forgotten, clattered to the ground; red spell energy dissipated uselessly at the tip.

Ed rolled to his feet and stepped, ever so casually, onto Malfoy's wand with his left. He twisted his foot, and let the weight do the rest. He heard a very satisfying crack! one that was followed closely by another soft whimper from the boy.

"What are you waiting for you...Mucky Mudblood!! Fix this this instant. " Malfoy spit out, face contorted grotesquely with pain.

Ed took a breath, and let it out, reining in his temper. He then squatted down next to Malfoy. He peered at the arm that Malfoy cradled, and saw that the forearm, roughly where his foot had connected, was swelling at an alarming rate.

'Definitely broken...' Ed thought with a snort.

"After you just tried to be shooting me in back?" Ed said with a snort. "No vay of know just vat you vould shoot me vith? You got vhat you deserved, boy-child."

"You won't get away with.."

Ed had enough. The Toad had connections with the Ministry. So did Malfoy's father.

'My watch..I hope doesn't mean that they know what it... no they can't...Can they? The Ministry definitely doesn't want students to know how to defend themselves, much less be a human weapon. I really don't have much of a choice here if I want to keep my access to that library. Who knows what that Ministry would do if they found out just what I'm capable of...' Ed thought as he wrinkled his nose in disgust at what he knew he had to do.

"You vant my silence." Ed said carefully. "Fine. As you said, I barely get by at dis school of yours. The price of my silence over you tieving vays is you silence in return. Say nodhing of vhat you saw me do dis day. Do ve have Equivalence?"

Ed heard footsteps thumping on the ground at the far end of the alley, and glanced towards the sound. He saw two massive shapes that looked vaguely like Malfoy's usual goons. He heard Malfoy squeak in something of relief.

"I'm supposed to say that I broke my own arm??" Malfoy snarled in a harsh whisper.

"Do ve have Equivalence or not?" Ed snapped and shot him a sharp glare, gold eyes met gray.

* * *

Hermione rolled up the scroll of names and looked up as the door to the pub opened, letting in the late afternoon light. By the glint of metal on what looked to be a shoulder, Harry had a pretty good idea who it was. Only it didn't make much sense.

"Oy!" Ron called out. "Noooow he shows."

"Sorry..I vas held up." Ed said as he approached them. Harry looked at him suspiciously with narrowed eyes. Ed? Apologizing?

"Did you get it back..?" Neville asked.

Ed frowned, then scowled. Then put his hands in his pockets.

"No." Ed said simply, and glanced to the bar. The barman stood there, silently watching while wiping a filthy glass with an equally filthy rag.

"What..? Get what back?" Hermione said.

"His watch.." Nelville said. "That's what he left me to chase after. Did you see who took it at least?"

Harry looked Ed over carefully. Long gold hair pulled back in a rough braid. Black tank top hid none his usually carefully covered scars or the false arm. In the faint light of the pub, he could even make out the faint one in the shape of a hand on his neck. His metal arm reflected the light for all to see, and he carried a bundle of white clothes beneath it quite naturally.

"Nope. Uh..I mizzed de meeting den?" Ed said from the bar, and Harry heard him say in softer tones. "Vats dis..'fire vhiskey'? ...iz like vrum? Or vodka or.."

Harry heard the barman mumble something, clearly in annoyance. Ed replied angrily. Harry was sure he heard "short" and "for my age" in there somewhere.

"We're only just finishing.. ." Hermione said as she shot a disapproving eye in Ed's direction.

"So...um..Why are you..y'know..showing." Harry interrupted, and waved a hand over his right. "Since school started, you've.."

"Vanted to. Nize day." Ed said with a turn of his head. He held up a finger, pointed to a bottle, then removed some coins from his left pocket.

"You didn't even do that this summer." Harry said. "Not even among Mugg.."  
"You met during the summer?" Nelville interrupted incredulously.  
"Yeah..long story." Harry said distractedly, then looked back to Ed. "Well..?"

"Iz nize day." Ed said emphatically, and the barman, with narrowed eyes, eased a filthy bottle over to Ed.

Ron stood up and leaned into his hands on the table. Face red and filled with fury.

"That's rich. YOU. Expecting US to fill you in after you laughed at Harry?"

"Yeah. Vat of it." Ed said and glared right back as he sat down with his purchase. With a glance, Harry saw that it was indeed a bottle of fire whiskey. Ed dropped his white bundle to the floor, and opened the bottle with his metal right. The hand was soon engulfed in the flames that shot upwards from the opening.

Ed's eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and a wide grin soon covered his face as he said something in his language that Harry didn't understand. But the tone said loads..like something of great appreciation.

"Is that what I think it is?" Neville said innocently.

"Depends." Ed said as he took a swig, and immediately made a face. He swallowed, and shook his head slightly as he replaced the bottle to the table. "Vreal smood. Almost like de stuff Granny Pikano gave us at card games..."

"Firewhiskey??" Ron interrupted in a harsh whisper and anger forgotten as he slowly sat back down. "I always wanted to.."

Ed gestured with the bottle, as if handing it over. Ron reached.

"Ron..You. Are. Prefect." Hermione said in disapproval. Ron frowned and placed his hand back on the table.

Ed made a face.

"Vat does dat have to do..?"

"Last I checked, we're all UNDER the age for drinking." Hermione said. "It's against the rules you know..!"

"Pfft." Ed waved her off.

He then offered it to Harry, and Nelville in turn. Harry had to admit he was rather curious of the drink, having seen Hagrid finish off a bottle a few times before the Half-giant grounds keeper passed out into unconsciousness. He shook his head at the offer this time. He watched as Nelville reached out for the offered bottle, which Ed dutifully handed it over. Instead of drinking, though, Nelville merely sniffed at the opening, wrinkled his nose in disgust, and handed it back.

Ed snorted with a smirk on his face, and took another swig. This time he only closed his eyes and grimmaced slightly before he placed the bottle onto the table.

Hemione pushed back from the table, and stood.

"Well." She huffed. "I certainly don't have to watch while.."

"'Iome." Ed said. "Pleeeaze...vill you juzt...I been drinkink ztronger ztuff dan diz zince.."

Harry narrowed his eyes.

"That's twice now." Harry said softly in disbelief. "First an actual apology and now you say 'please'."

"Blimey...He's right." Ron said with wide eyes. Then he looked suspiciously at Ed. "Tell me what's kept in the...ah crimey, I can't say that, now can I? Uh..Iome? Little help?"

"Honestly, Ron. It's him."

"How can you say that when..?"

"Look. Just. Well. For one his accent is way worse...He's obviously upset at something..."

Harry saw Ed scowl.

"That proves he's a fake, you know...! He could be..."

Harry watched Ed swallow and look away as the two argued on. He folded his arms and the metal hand rubbed a the now healed round scar along the left forearm. After a few moments, when the arguing devolved into a kind of bickering..

"Iz me, alvright?" Ed said angrily. "Vat kind of idiot vould vant to zpy on mabbe zchool klub?"

"That's what I'd like to know. Prove you're Ed, mate." Ron said.

"Fine." Ed sighed. "Vat do you vant to know?"

Ron had this crafty sort of look on his face.

"Who's your dad?"

Ed scowled, and flicked his eyes about the pub.

"I vill not answer dat here."

"Why not?"

"Unvanted eyes and ears." Ed all but growled, and took another swig of the fire whiskey. Harry glanced to the witch that was covered in veils, still sitting by the hearth. "Ask someting else."

"Do you know how to make a philosopher's st.."

Ed slammed both fists to the table with such force that the bottle in his metal hand shattered on impact. As the liquid spread over the table, Harry glanced to the others. Nelville's eyes were as round as saucers. Hermione's too. Ron, he cringed backwards into his chair as Ed glared at him. Harry didn't know what to think...it seemed an innocent enough of a question.

"Vhy.. Vould you ever. Vant to be knowing DAT." Ed said in a low voice between clenched teeth.

"You're the alchemist..I thought, y'know. Eternal life and gold out of lead and your dad and..." Ron babbled.

Ed lifted his fists and looked at the table in disgust. Then he began to sweep the glass shards together into a rough pile one the table. Harry noticed a dent in the table where the right had been.

Ed slapped his palms together, and in a flash of blue light, the bottle reformed. Harry noticed the liquid was gone from the tabletop. Oddly enough, Ed took another swig from the bottle. No repair charm that Harry knew could ever do that..replacing lost liquid into a broken container.

"I really think it's Ed, Ron." Harry said, and pointed with his chin.

"Yeah. I get that." Ron said as he glanced nervously at Ed, then down at the table.

"You're... an alchemist?" Nelville said.

"Yeah." Ed said in a low and rather flat voice.

"Brilliant. So that's vhy..I mean in Potions you.. but your magic is...I don't know what to say about it. That wandless ..well it's really great."

"Iz not magic. Alchemy, vreally."

"Still. It's amazing. Where'd you learn it?" Nelville said with a bright friendly smile on his face.

"Very Goot. And scary. Private teacher." Ed said with a slight grimmace on his face. He looked over to Nelville. "Iz mostly dead science in Muggle area. Here.." He shrugged as he replaced the bottle back on the table, and looked again at Ron.

"Ron. Any dezent alchemist can change nearly any metal into gold. And az for dis eternal life..I tell you dat dere is no such ting."

"So can you..?" Ron said excitedly as he leaned forward.

"Can I vat." Ed flatly and leaned back into his chair.

"Make gold." Ron said softly in a near whisper.

Ed sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his left hand.

"Metal IS a specialty of mine but.."

"So..that's why you don't have to worry about money.." Ron exclaimed in wonder.

"No. I earn my keep. I do have job, vremember?." Ed snapped. "Iz..iz against de law to make gold. Vould vruin de economy because it is based on the exchange of gold."

"I have never heard of that law.." Hermione said, and folded her arms as she leveled a glare at Ed.

"I neber heard of de unforgivable curses before I met you dree." Ed countered. "I ztill find dem..vell..hard to believe."

"They're real." Nelville said softly as he looked down at the table. "Very real."

Harry knew exactly what Nelville was referring to. His parents. Both were tortured to the point of insanity with one of the curses. Nelville didn't know he knew, and he certainly didn't tell anyone else, either.

"So, mate..some rules you follow, but others... you DON'T?" Ron said, face screwed up, deep in his figuring. Harry saw Ed roll his eyes.

"De Gold vone? Shit yeah. Tink 'bout it. Vill hurt many many people if iz broken eben little bit." Ed said. "Diz zilly drinking vone..pfft. Vreally. Hurtz no vone if iz broken. Vone who looked after me for vhile, Granny Pikano, she let me drink vorse stuff dan dis all time vith her. No bik deal."

"Ed..before I forget..um..Are you going to join us in this study group?" Hermione withdrew the scroll from her bag. "If so..um. Write your name here and we'll let you know when we've found a place..."

Harry saw a slight scowl on Ed's face.

"Ed.. This isn't a push. Just. I really think you should." Harry said. "Remember that bogga.."

"I remember, Harry." Ed said, nose wrinkled slightly. "Just.. You say you are best teacher for diz... Vhatever diz Dark Arts ding iz. "

"Yeah..He is." Ron said emphatically.

"That he can make a corporeal patronus alone is amazing." Nelville piped in. "He's done so many great things that no one else has."

Ed looked down, and chewed his bottom lip. Then Harry found himself the subject of an intense golden stare.

"Harry. Do you have any idea how many times I followed you to de Dursleys dis summer?"

"What..?" Harry gasped. "um..Once or twice I think. What does that..?"

"I followed you. Nearly every night after ve vere assigned as class partners." Ed said "Vonce you kept staying late at library vith me and den alvays asked de librarian for excuse note for you fat Uncle, I knew zometing vasn't vright at home. I heard him yell and hit.."

"You..followed me?" Harry said, feeling a bit alarmed at the news. "All that time..? H-how..? That's a well lit street, and I was told I was being watched over, and.."

Harry pictured the street he lived on during the summers..the neat, well kept lawns..the street lamps.. the hedges and flowerbeds..There was no place he could think of that would completely hide someone from view.

"..and ...You had to've used the disillusionment charm or.."

Ed shook his head slightly, barely moving it side to side, never breaking his gaze from Harry's. Right..Ed had no wand at the time. Or now for that matter. Ed was actually only really good at Potions from what Harry could recall from the classes they shared.

"Could..uh..Alchemy?"

"No. No Alchemy. Just.."

"You could have an animagus.." Harry saw Ed face scrunch in confusion at the word, then changed it "..an animal form or.."

"No." Ed scowled and frowned. "Iz. A Muggle skill, I tink you vould call it. I knew you neber noticed me. If I vere zomevone who vanted to do you harm, I tell you dat I could easily have done so."

Harry swallowed his bile.

"No.. You're just saying that to.." Ron interjected.

"Ron. Stop. I rather think it does explain things." Hermione said.

"Well, mate.." Ron said with a huff. "I don't see what sneaking about has to do with it. Harry's the best we've got at Defense Against Dark Arts."

"Zo." Ed said with narrowed eyes. "Know now I am no eazy vone to convince."

"Then clear out." Ron growled, and glared right back.

"Harry. I know you did zave my life against..a zometing." Ed said, and he rubbed the front of his neck. "I mean..vhat of deze zo called Dark Arts. Dat Boldamark ztill zounds like common ztreet thug to me."

"Voldemort's dangerous, Ed. " Harry said. "He's working on taking things over..I know it.."

"Tch." Ed grimmaced again. "Iz hard for me to explain vithout vright vords in Englich... And dis is not vright place for zuch tings anyvay."

Ed sighed, and crooked his fingers to Hermione. Harry watched as Ed added his name to the list on the scroll.

"Diz iz juzt for now. Ve vill talk more on diz later. Yeah?" Ed said.

Harry nodded.

"Once we find a place to hold everyone." Hermione added as she rolled the scroll back up and placed it in her bag.

* * *

The remainder of the weekend breezed along. Harry and Ron spend that Sunday under a tree by the lake, catching up on homework essays and answering questions. The sky was temptingly clear and a beautiful blue, and Harry often found himself looking up at it longingly. He dared not to fly that day...or Hermione would glare at him in supreme disapproval, at least as long as his homework was unfinished.

His scar constantly prickled since dawn, just enough, and he found that if he thought of something hard enough, he could almost completely ignore it. It was quite annoying to deal with, really, and occasionally he would just slap his fingers to it in a lame effort to get it to stop.

That night, last word of Snape's essay finally written down on the scroll, Harry wearily climbed into bed. Head thumped onto the pillow, he closed his eyes.

He was sleek and strong, crawling low to the ground in a room the smelled of dust and rot. He could taste the smell on his tongue that he flicked in and out of his mouth as he went along. He could smell him. The tall man with silver white hair standing calmly just ahead. He who was supposed to bring a something for him to see and smell. He approached the man in ever tighter, and ever so slow circles..hoping for a taste of the delicious scent of fear on the obviously inferior creature.

The man held out a gloved hand, and abruptly flipped it over. Something dropped to the ground. A round metallic..something. The man stepped back. He didn't care for the object..the man was the one that smelled of life, the one that made his mouth water with hunger. He reared his head back, and hissed..hoping for the fear...

"No, my dear." A hissing voice called. "Below. That on the ground."

With hateful regret, he obeyed. The metal object was easy enough to find in the dark, the tang of it lingered on his tongue like something bitter. Wait..there was something else. That smell..that taste! It was HIS blood. HIM. Without hesitation, seeing only darkness and rage, he wrapped himself about the thing with the hated scent, and crushed it with all his might in a hateful hug.

Harry woke up gasping. For several moments, he rather thought his gasps sounded a lot like laughter.

He heard a soft thunk and glanced over to the sound. Ed was already up, dressed, and in the middle of his routine, one leg up on the wall.

Harry's scar seared him with waves of burning agony that gradually faded as the sun rose to greet the new day.


	42. 42

A/N: Long arc..And I hope it'll turn out as good as what I have in my head. Ah...damn typos. Next chapter I think will be loads of fun to write.

* * *

Ed glanced to Harry. He saw overly pale skin and a fine sheen of sweat on his face. He looked at Ron, standing just behind him, and saw that his ears flushed a burning hot red. Ed narrowed his eyes, turned, and again skimmed through the sign which began 'By Order of The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts'. He then shrugged and strode over to the Main Hall.

"All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded!?" "Did you see?"  
"Can she do that?" "Just did"  
"She knows?"  
"That Toad! Hate her."  
"W-what about Quidditch..? Ang..."

Ed heard all these muttered over and over again by the students passing by him as he scarfed down his food. He then rushed off the History of Magic class, notebook in hand, mind whirling about the equations for the 'snail'.

* * *

Potions was as mind-numbingly as dull as ever. Ed added the final ingredient, and took a glance at Nelville's bubbling mess. Bored as he was, he mentally worked out not only where Nelville messed up, but how to fix it. He glanced about and saw that Severus was currently across the room, by Malfoy's bunch, bent over, engrossed in something.

Ed chewed on his cheek. He then caught Nelville's eye, pointed at the many-tenticled-bulby-looking thing on the tray, and mouthed '3 grams'. Nelville raised his eyebrows, nodded and tonged the bulb in question. Ed then turned back to his and blithely stirred. Once the mixture emitted a purple puff of smoke, he dipped in his vial for a sample with his right and stoppered it with his left.

He was returning to his desk when he heard a sharp tang! on his right port and froze. It was the distinctive sound of a hand slapped against metal.

"You will join me in Mcgonagall's office at 5, today, Elric." Severus' voice sneered in his right ear. "I warn you. Do not be late."

Ed frowned, and nodded a slight nod, and glanced to his shoulder just as Severus' pale hand lifted. Ed glanced to Malfoy as he sat back down; his view only slightly obscured by the voluminous purple haze spewing forth from Nelville's cooking pot.

He saw that the boy was grinning, and talking softly amongst his group.

* * *

In Divination, as he sat down on a pouf in a shadowed corner, wanting to be ignored enough that he could continue his work, the Professor immediately strode over and slammed the textbook onto the spindly table before him in a huff. Gold eyes met (overlarge and magnified) brown, and Ed widened his eyes as she glared angrily at him. He took a breath..

She then spun about, her many shawls flapping in the air, and stomped to slam and toss books about to the other students as well. With a tilt of his head, he watched the woman and snapped his notebook closed. He listened, however uncomfortably, as the woman first sniffed, and then cried.

"..or am I such a substandard teacher that you have never learned to open a book?" The Professor wailed and huccuped in a high squeeky voice.

Ed looked down woefully at the 'Dream Oracle' book, and with great reluctance, and a wrinkled nose, opened it to the assigned page.

He felt a jab on his left and glanced over in annoyance. Ron pointed at the now open book looked at him with surprise on his face. Ed shrugged in response, and turned back his task.

'There might be something useful in this rubbish...' he thought, doing his best to justify his actions to himself. The image of the woman's tear stained face haunted him for the remainder of his time in that class.

* * *

In Defense Against the Dark Arts, to his great annoyance, he was forced to take out the stupid book and pretend to read like the rest of the class. Nevermind that he was seated between Harry and Ron. The Pink Toad took to striding by his desk and peering down her stubby nose at him with a suspicious sort of look on her face.

On about her fourth pass (he wasn't entirely sure as he wasn't exactly keeping a count), she leaned over his desk and scribbled something down on her clipboard; he found that odd because, at the time, he was pretending to be taking notes from the useless text.

Finally, with glare at the Toad as she passed by yet again, he flopped his notebook to his lap, and when she was sufficiently past him, continued on with his 'snail' calculations anyway.

* * *

He scarfed down his dinner while cheerfully chatting with Hermione about a (supposedly) unsolvable Arithomancy postulate she had as homework, and at roughly 4:30, nodded his good-byes to the rather glazed-over eyes of Ron, Harry, and the few other Griffindors that had scooted over enough to overhear the lively, yet obscure, conversation.

* * *

Though the torches were lit, the place was dark and cold as Ed knocked hard on the door with his right. The sound echoed in the empty hall, and Ed rubbed at an ache on his right with his left as he waited impatiently for a response.

'Damn the cold in this country' Ed thought irritably.

"Enter." McGonagall called.

Ed strode in and stood, hands clasped behind his back from long habit. He saw Severus, seated with his arms folded to the side of Mcgonagall's rather overloaded desk, looked down his hooked nose at him. Ed glared right back at the cold eyes. He found Severus' sneer mask firmly in place as they looked at one another for several moments.

"You are here to answer for yourself, Elric." McGongall said crisply.

Ed raised an eyebrow.

"At Hogsmeade, there was an..incident..which required the considerable skills of Professor Snape. I am under the impression that you were involved." McGonagall continued.

"Vwas long vweekend for me." Ed said and tilted his head slightly. "I cannot guess vwhat you are talking of."

"Two students in my charge saw you in the alley with one Draco Malfoy." Severous sneered. "I hardly think it coincidence that his arm was broken given your.. known history.. of violence towards others."

"I was seen in alley vwith him." Ed said calmly, and met the cold eyes with his gold."So? Vwhat of it."

Severus' eyes narrowed, and his upper lip curled back just a little.

"Really. I find that statement exceptionally hard to believe coming from a one with such a short..."

At the mention of the hated word, Ed scowled, hands clenched into fists, yelled..

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY SPECK IN DE EYE OF A FLEA?"

Severus' sneer mask cracked just enough for a single eyebrow to rise, and he took a breath to continue.

"..Short. Temper. I know Draco Malfoy quite well enough to more than strongly suspect what likely transpired between the two of you."

Ed folded his arms, and continued to scowl.

"Do not. Ever. Call me short." Ed muttered in a growl, so angry he didn't care if he spoke English.

"Sit down, Elric." McGonagall said with a stern look to her face.

Ed rolled his eyes, and flopped into a seat.

"Have a biscuit." She said, and tapped at tin on top of a stack of papers.

Ed scowled at the offered tin, but knew better than to refuse the stern woman. As ridiculous as the request was, he saw no harm in it. They were only cookies, afterall.

As he nibbled on the first, he leaned back easily into the chair.

"I was speaking with Severus regarding your comments on the ancient transfiguration circle that I have on my wall..."

"I hope you did vbreak de zirkle. Dat ting is.."

"Dangerous. Yes. So you say." Professor Mcgonagall said. "Could you tell me whatever you think it is for..?"

Ed frowned, and blinked as he searched his mind for the right word.

"Have another biscuit."

After the second biscuit, there was a comfortable warmth. Ed blinked blearily while looking at his gloved palms, turning his hands and splaying his fingers in facination.

"um ..De runes are unstable.. " Ed explained. "Unstable runes kreate unstable matter..unstable matter makes not nice tings to happen.."

"Not nice things..? Explain." Severus sneered. Ed swallowed his bile and looked Severous in the eye.

"It..makez explozionz. Dat zirkle? " Ed looked down.". it is done vright..by zomevone skilled enough.." Ed folded his arms across his chest, and glanced to both Severus and Professor McGonagall. "...Dere is a..a precious delay..vhere person caught in it is ztill alive enough..to go among others before dey detonate. Just....L-long enough to say gootbye."

"Have another biscuit." Professor Mcgonagall said and pointed jerked her chin to the tin before she turned about to look out her window.

He finished the third biscuit and, within moments, his aches throbbed so badly, he curled up in a tight ball on the chair with a small whimper escaping him. He kneaded at what aches he could reach in his ports with his gloved left hand, his right hooked uselessly around his stomach as it had become difficult to move without more pain. A few more moments, and his kneading became little more than clutching. He grimmaced and glanced blearily at Professor McGonagall standing behind her desk.

"Forgive us, Elric." Mcgonagall's voice sounded distant and soft as she turned about to regard him in a stern, yet friendly way. "But there is far too much at stake."

He saw movement to his side. Unconcerned, he rolled his golden eyes and watched Severus lean forward in his chair. Narrowed cold glittering eyes regarded him in a manner he found somehow friendly and trustworthy. He smiled, somewhere between a smirk and a frown, at the familiar sneer-mask framed by shoulder-length dark greasy hair. The man who had, afterall, saved his life. Twice. Shouldn't he at least repay the man?

"Now Elric." The voice was sneering in a tone he found he trusted. "Tell me the truth..."

"..Drudh.." Ed said, interrupting Severus in mid - breath. He heard himself babble. "He.. is sick fukker.. in dat kold vite place.. very kruel... ...Englich ..tsh vas.. um Gate ...um... god ..no.. not.. god.. dere is no zuch fukken ting as fukking god ..guardian, I guezs? "

Ed watched as Severus's friendly! cold glittering eyes narrowed even more. He winced as another ache made itself known and whimpered as he clutched at it uselessly.

"..vant so mukh.. to kikk.. his fukken ass.. " Ed babbled; Smile still on his face as he looked to the wall where another array was displayed. He tilted his head "Dat vone.. makes stuffed bunnies if you put 6 pounds of sand in stablizing receptacle...frequency at roughly 450 vould be best to get de most softest fluff.."

Ed winced as another ache made itself known, running along and all through his ribs on his right. He lowered his head and squinched his eyes shut.

"It appears we gave him too much." Severus said. "He will babble and say all sorts of nonsense that may or may not be the truth we're after."

"Dumbledore is the best for this sort of.."

"I tell you that he will never trust Dumbledore." Severus said calmly.

"I find this rather distasteful and disturbing.." Professor McGonagall said. "I had no idea that he was in so much pain.. without his resolve in it's proper place ...It's like watching the crucio curse being used on him."

"Three drops of Veritaserum, and you will get to the truth." Severus sneered, in a somewhat somber tone.

"Well, we simply must find another way." Professor McGonagall said crisply. "We should take him to the hospital wing. Maybe there is something to be done for him."

Ed lifted his head and cracked his eyes open as he noticed the hum in his chest. Severus had innocently pointed his wand at him.

"Obliviate."

* * *

Ed awoke to the smell an aneseptic something, and snapped his eyes open in alarm.

By the light of the rising sun, he could see a white ceiling, white curtains all about him, and white sheets covering him. By the metalic reflection, knew that his right port was exposed. He gingerly lifted the sheets and saw that he was only in his boxers. (Which meant someone had seen his exposed left leg at some point.) He saw no needles, nor bandages wrapped on him.

He sat up and swung his feet to the ground. His bare left foot clicked noisily as it hit the tile. Feeling just fine despite the usual aches, Ed stood up, and tried to remember what the something was that was so bad that he was brought to a hospital.

The white curtain parted open, and he saw an older woman, dressed in white. She had sort of hat on her head that told him that, in this world, she was most definitely a nurse. At the moment she was looking most displeased in his direction.

"No you don't young man. Back to bed, you." He heard a woman's voice say officiously.

"vWhy? I am vwell." Ed said. "Vhy am I here?"

"You are most certainly not well, young man. You did happen to notice that you're missing two limbs?"

Ed scrunched his face in confusion and glanced at his metal hand and flexed the fingers.

"Vhere am I? Vho are you?"

"Of all the.. honestly!" She said, and she took a breath. "I am Madam Pomphey, and you are in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. You are the new student here. I believe, Edward Elric was the name?"

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Now. Get back into that bed this instant and I let me see what can be done four you after those Muggle barbarians did THAT."

Ed folded his arms, and opened his mouth. Then. Snapped it shut as the implications sank in. He didn't dare to hope...

"You..can restore.. m-my limbs..?"

"That IS what I was about to determine. I will be but a moment."

Ed nodded a small nod, and rubbed at an ache. He glanced at the window behind the woman and saw that the sunlight was indeed short lived. Dark clouds were gathering, and quickly obscured the light.

She returned with a tray full of oddly shaped bottles and vials. This, she set upon the small table by his bed. She then turned to him and withdrew her dark colored wand.

"Now..is this Muggle contraption on your shoulder removable?"

Ed blanched, then swallowed.

"It..is not zsometing to be done lightly. It is nezesssary?"

"I assure you that I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't."

He nodded and gritted his teeth and sat down heavily onto the bed. He then reached up and over, pushed in on a latch at the joint of the top plate, and removed it. Then he pressed in at an indent roughly where his shoulder blade should've been, and at another indent at the midsection of his clavicle. He grabbed his shoulder firmly in his left, then removed his metal arm entirely. He cradled it in his lap, atop the removed top plate.

Madam Pomphey clucked her tongue as she looked at the port.

"Well..no helping it." She said and waved her wand over it. Ed tried his best not to jump at the vibrations he felt with each wave of her wand. He even felt it in his teeth. "Amazing..I didn't know Muggles could do that...Your nerves are still alive...But the bone socket.."

She knelt and looked inside the port to the exposed socket. She waved her wand, and Ed closed his eyes tight and gritted his teeth as the vibrations shot through him, rattling every rib and running up his spine. After several passes of the wand, she sighed. Ed cracked his eyes open as the vibrations faded and saw her shaking her head sadly. She looked him in the eye and said.

"I'm sorry. This is far beyond my abilities."

Ed frowned, looked down, and nodded.

"Iz alvright." Ed said. "It..I knew it vouldn't be dat eazy."

"The Muggles that made this for you weren't nearly as barbaric as I thought." She added, and she narrowed her eyes. "It was some sort of Dark Magic did this to you, wasn't it?"

Ed lifted his metal arm and focused on lining up the socket instead of the woman's supposing. He clenched his jaws closed to keep himself from crying out as he firmly shoved the socket in place. With a faint click, the nerves connected all at once and he arched his back, barely holding back his scream.

For but a moment, it felt like his nerves were suddenly there and on fire.

Gasping, he fazed out, felt himself weaving over to his right. Then..he was completely weightless. He rolled his eyes about him blearily and found he was floating in the air in defiance of gravity.

"My..that looked painful." Madam Pomphey commented, and he saw she pointed her dark wand at him between her thumb and forefinger. "Now. To bed you. Let me..."

Ed shook his head and began his isometric routine, intent on running his right through the entire series of precision exercises.

"Don't make me stun you, child." She said in a scolding tone.

"Have to..do dhis." Ed said through clenched teeth. "Make for certain... dhere is no damage."

She narrowed her eyes, and lowered him to the bed, but allowed him to finish his exercises. In defiance of the nerves ringing thoughout his body, outwardly seen by his shaking left hand, he barely managed to latch the top plate before he passed out entirely.

* * *

He awoke to the whispering sound of voices, and cracked open his golden eyes. The room was shadowed and gloomy. By the aches in his ports, he could tell it was likely rainy and frigidly cold outside.

"He's awake." It was Harry's voice. "Quick, get the curtain."

He watched as the curtain opened and, after a moment, closed of its own accord. Ed lifted his head and looked around. Suddenly Harry, Hermione, and Ron were just..there..holding a silvery blanket that Ron just dropped, and Hermione passed over to Harry.

"Vas..?"  
"Shhh" Harry hissed. "Just us."

"Better hurry, mate." Ron whispered as he cracked open a curtain. "She's not going to be distracted for long."

"'bout time you made it in, Ed." Harry said.

"Professor McGonagall told us that she found you passed out in the hall by her door." Hermione said. "Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let us see you. Are you alright?"

Ed nodded, and screwed up his face in confusion.

"She says I..fainted?" Ed said. "Vas?"

"Yeah.. Was it the Toad again?" Ron said. "I mean did she.."

"No. I do not.." Ed stated. "...Uh..Vat time is it?"

"Noonish." Harry said. "We can't stay long. Listen. If Madam Pomphey releases you today, we've found a place. Y'know. To practice.."

* * *

The first night of the secret club meeting was absolutely miserable.

Outside, it rained hailstones, and Ed's ports ached so badly from the combined effects of the cold and rain, that by the time he convinced the nurse to release him, he found it difficult not to limp. He managed well enough while within the nurse's sight.

Fully dressed in his all covering long sleeves, gritting his teeth with every step, he made his way along the corridors to the meeting room that Harry had told him about. He saw a few students, all taller than he, standing before a great set of doors that smoothly opened inwards before them.

'Guess this is the place.' Ed thought, and entered with NOT!Winry, (Luna Lovegood, that is), and a Griffindor boy that didn't give him the usual wide berth treatment.

With a nod to Nelville, who stood with a gaping mouth near the entrance, he looked about the place himself. The room was surprisingly large.. Bookshelves lined all the walls, and silk cushions were spread about on the floor. A number of students milled about, looking at everything with open curiosity and wonder on their faces.

He saw Hermione sitting on a cushion, reading book with rapt attention, and he strode over to her rather stiffly. With a glance, he saw that the cover read 'Jinxes for the Jinxed' as he eased himself into the silk cushion next to her. He rubbed absently at his right port with his gloved left and looked to the books himself.

His eyes widened and he glanced quickly down in surprise.

"What is it..?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

Ed glanced to her, removed his left glove, and placed his bare hand to the surface.

"Strange." Ed said softly. "It is..vwarmer?"

He palmed another place on the cushion, and narrowed his eyes.

Hermione skewed her eyebrows upwards, reached, and touched the back of her hand to the surface of his cushion.

"Yes. You're not imagining it. It's much warmer than mine." Hermione said.

Ed swallowed, and replaced his glove as he rose from the seat and moved on to another. Ed's eyes widened once more as this seat, too, heated itself beneath him. He took in a breath, scowled, and looked about him for another seat, one that was not a silk cushion.

"oh..um..I think it's alright." Hermione said hurriedly. "It's just..It's this room. It..adjusts to whatever the person needs. Apparently, YOU NEED a warm seat."

Ed shot her a glare, then jumped up and away as the seat.. grew.. a sort of overstuffed silk covered backing behind him. He landed awkwardly on the floor on his mostly right side, and hissed between his teeth. As he watched, the silk cushion he just vacated transformed into rather overstuffed silky armchair.

"I did not ask for such..!"

"You didn't need to." Hermione said consolingly. "It's what the room does, apparently.."

Ed glanced around, and saw several students looking in his direction, the chatter to one another. He gritted his teeth as he gingerly picked himself up, scowling at the thing the entire time.

Hermione rolled her eyes and reached for another book. 'The Dark Arts Outsmarted', it read on the spine.

"Sit, you." She said and handed the book over. "I rather think that something similar will happen no matter where you go in here."

Ed rubbed at an ache in the port on his right, and with great reluctance, turned and sat. Book in hand, he found that the newly grown back was just as warm as the rest of the contraption. He eased back into the warmth, and a sigh escaped from his lips as he worked at an ache on his left thigh with the heal of his living hand.

He then heard a loud click! and shifted his golden eyes towards the source. It was Harry, locking the doors. The room fell silent. Ed closed his book with a snap and set it aside.


	43. At a snail's pace

A/N: Not sure what to say here for this particular chapter. Hoping I stayed IC for all concerned. This note will likely be edited as I figure out what I want to say. I realize i likely blabbered on a bit too much in this chapter, but I do have my reasons. And it really would be far too long if I get to the part I really want to do...Any how. Thanks again for the reviews! Enjoy!

* * *

Harry looked about at those before him and began.

"Well..I was thinking on where we should start.."

"What are those..?" Dean said, pointing his chin at what looked to be a scrap pile to Ed.

"Oh..um, Dark Detectors." Harry said. "They...uh..can be fooled, so it's best not to depend on them. Anyway.."

"I think we should first determine the leader." Hermione said.

"Come off it. Harry's the leader." Some girl Ed vaguely remembered said.

"I mean, we should make it official." Hermione said. "Y'know. Vote on it. All those if favor for Harry to be leader?" Ed narrowed his eyes, and looked around the backing of the chair at the 'class'. All of the hands were raised in the air. He felt a nudge on his right, and glanced to see Hermione glaring at him. Ed frowned, folded his arms, and looked back to Harry.

"Right." Harry said with a nod. "Now, where we should start.."

"We should have a name." Hermione said. "To make us like a team. Unify us together."

Ed snorted.

"Vat is point?" Ed said. "Iz not sport team. Ve are here to do specific ting, not be playing games."

"I say the Anti-Umbridge League."

"The Ministry of Magic are Morons Group." Fred or George said, and Ed just had to smile widely.

"Defense Association. D.A for short, so we can say D.A. outside of here and we'll know what we're talking about."

"Dumbledore's Army." Ed recognised that voice, and glanced back at her. He was a little alarmed at that suggestion, even though it came from Ginny, Ron's little sister. "It's the Ministry's worst fear afterall."

"That's perfect." Ron's said. "Let's vote."

"All in favor?" Hermione said. Ed glanced about again. He rolled his eyes as he saw all hands were raised.

"Alright." Hermione said. "Dumbledore's Army it is."

"I think we should start with the disarming charm.." Harry said.

"Expelliarmus? That stupid thing..?"

"Come off it. You don't really think that's gonna work against You-Know-Who do you?"

"I used it against HIM." Harry said "And it saved my life last June. If you think you're too good for it, then go."

"I have suggestion." Ed said, and Harry looked over and raised an eyebrow. "I tink is best if dey learn to be bad targets first."

"You sugg..? I saw you in class. You can't even do a simple charm..." This was a voice in the class behind him, not Harry.

"Muggles. Dey use tings BULLETS." Ed said over the voice. "Iz similar to vat I have read of dis..vat is it..Avar Cadare ting dat has everyvone scared shit. Being bad target is.."

"A MUGGLE thing." Another voice said. "We're.."

Ed tilted his head and looked towards the voice.

"You not knowing much." Ed said in a low voice."I knew a voman who could easily hit a fly on vall vith bullet from more dan half mile avay."

"Mate..we're not here to learn how to defend against Mug.."

"He..uh.. has a point." Harry said, and Ed saw the strangest expression on his face when he turned back. "A good one...um..."

Harry looked down, and took a breath.

"Anyway. I reckon we should divide up into pairs and practice." Harry said, looking mildly surprised as the others divided themselves up and moved opposite sides of the room. Harry then turned to Ed as he watched the chair once again become a silk cushion "Ed..er..you know how to duel?"

"DUEL." Ed stated, and crinkled up his nose. "Vas..? Means...um..dwo tings..vhat does number dwo have.."

Harry explained quietly what he meant.

"Reeeaaally. A fight with dese sticks between two people vith no physical contact??! Too funny!!" Ed chortled loudly as he waved his own 'wand' about between his thumb and forefinger. He then shook his head and folded his arms. "Stuuupid.."

"Shhh!" Harry said. "Not a good.."

"Vat. No one vreally bothers vith such niceness in vreal fight." Ed said, and then waved his hand dismissively. "..pfft... " Ed looked about and spotted Nelville standing alone. He pointed his chin at the round faced boy and said softly. "I vill go spar vith him, but.."

"Spar..?"

"Yeah, dat iz vright vord for vhat ve are doing." Ed said, then narrowed his eyes. "Nelville dere is not very confident..."

Ed slapped his palms together, and held his right, fingers splayed, over the ground. Blue lightning arched about in a circle beneath his feet, and a wind blew upwards. His favorite spear rose, piercing through the cushion, right into his hand. He ran it through a few basic defensive katas, then.. he looked to Nelville. And took a single step.

Nelville's eyes widened in alarm when he met Ed's gaze. Then..

Ed pressure plates told him something was pressing against his bicept. He glanced down to the side, and saw Harry grasping it in both hands and pulling him back with all his might. Ed smirked at the sight. Harry towered over him by at least a foot, and still he couldn't so much as budge him one bit. Ed lifted his right and gave it a little jerk that freed him from Harry's grasp easily.

"No. Ed. You're..um.. still recovering, anyway." Harry gasped, and wiped off his sweaty forehead.

"Vat? " Ed thunked the blunt end of the spear to the ground. The sound of it echoing in the room told him that he had everyone's attention. "I'm fine."

"Ed.. Honestly. I really think it's best for everyone if you..uh.. sit this one out." Hermione said softly, and she glanced to Ron. "Don't want them scared of you, right?"

"What?" Ron said. "He's not that.. ok, fine, he IS. But that's a Muggle way of doing things, now isn't it?"

Ed rolled his eyes, and gave out a snort.

"Fine. Vill do dis later den." Ed said, then slapped his palms together and, with the arching of blue lightning, replaced the spear to the ground. He picked up his discarded book, grit his teeth, and, with a slight limp that favored his left, strode over to the bookshelves furthest from the activities. When he got there another cushy, overstuffed chair rose to greet him.

He found that it, too, was quite and comfortably warmed.

He watched the wizards and quickly assessed each them as sorely lacking in any battle skill whatsoever. Lousy aim. Terrible timing. And the concept something so basic as a lunging dodge seemed to be beyond each as they all participated in the duel thing. He shook his head and knocked aside what books flew too close to him with a simple smacking downward block of his right.

His chosen book was quite interesting, and he finished it in moments. Then went on to another, and discarded the finished book at his feet. He turned, reached for another behind him, and felt a hum at chest. The feeling was fleeting, and he glanced to see Not!Winry and another girl yelling "Expelliarmus" as they circled one another. Only Not!Winry seemed to've succeeded as the other's wand flew right over his head to clatter noisily against the wall.

As the girl turned retrieve the wand, lazily doing so with but firm shout of "Accio", he found himself staring at Not!Winry. Dreamily, her blue eyes wandered over to his gold. After a few moments, he blinked, swallowed, and, with a heavy sigh, turned about once more to retrieve a book from the shelf. The spine read "A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter Actions."

* * *

The secret meetings continued sporadically as Harry juggled the student's schedules. Harry was, at first, annoyed that Ed only bothered to show up a few times. When he did, he would leave shortly after they began the dueling, mutely shaking his head as he went out the door. It made Harry wonder if he thought he was going about the class the wrong way.

Harry was of the opinion that everyone WAS steadily improving. Even if he had to admit he didn't know exactly what he was doing.

"Besides, it's not like Ed can even do a jinx, charm, or spell at all." Ron said when Harry brought the whole thing up. "He's just got that alchemy of his...not a very useful thing now, is it?"

"He conjured that spear.." Harry said. "That can't be alchemy, can it?"

"Yeah, I dunno." Ron said "And it looked to me like the git knew exactly how to use it, too. Not like he can fly away, or apporate, or something like that. He can't even do the silencing charm."

"Well, neither can either of us. Yet."

"Don't wanna think about homework right now, 'k mate?" Ron said with a bit of a groan.

Today, the stormy and wind driven October was near its end, and Harry on his way with Ron to the Quidditch pitch. He spotted Ed squatting in a lonely dirt patch by the forest. Having seen something similar in the courtyard, he was instantly curious, and waved to Ron to follow him. As Harry strode over, he heard Ed muttering something in his language, which was not unusual when he was working.

"Ed..? You alright?" Harry said, and Ed startled.

"Huh?" Ed said intelligently, as he glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah. Fine. Quiddy's today den?"

"Just the practice, starts in a bit." Harry said. "How's it going?"

"Slow." Ed said in irritation, and scratched some more in the dust before him.

Harry looked at the design drawn in the dirt. It looked even more complex now than it was last time he saw it. Interlocking circles, lines, shapes. Delicate and precise at the same time. And that was just the first one. Several yards away, he could see that there was another. He glanced over at Ron, only to see him frown and look off behind them. Harry was about to look..

Ed eased himself up to his feet and stretched fully. Harry heard several pops and winced in sympathy. Ed, however, just tilted his head as if nothing happened, and looked over what he had drawn in the dirt before him.

"Tch..no. Not vright...." Ed said, and bent to scratch something like a circle within which was something like an arrow. Or was it a triangle? Then added some arcs, what looked like slashing swishes, and a series of saw toothed flags arranged outside of the arc. He even scribbled down some old fashioned letters, but Harry couldn't read what was written. "..dere.. dat should do it."

Ed then reached into his pocket and placed something inside one of the circles--a small one within several others that were offset in a sort of hypnotic way, and surrounded by a series of triangles. Harry thought it looked like a round pebble, then realised it was the snail.

Harry then heard familiar sneering laughter, and his stomach did a little sinking flip. He didn't need to look to see that it was one Draco Malfoy, doubtless on his way to watch the Griffindor team practice. Harry looked to Ron and saw that his ears were already a burning sort of red. Ed crouched down, and touched the side of the design in front of him with a single gloved finger.

Like before, both designs lit up with a shining light. Then the thinnest of lighting arched and reached skywards as far as Harry could see. He took a step back, and felt a wind rise up from the ground before him. In moments, the light died down, and through a haze of thick smoke, Harry saw Ed rise to his feet and move off towards the other design. Harry made to follow, and took a few steps.

"Stop!!" Ed yelled. "Do not..!"

"Huh?" Harry said, "What why?"

"Not safe." Ed said gruffly, and Harry stepped back a step in confusion. The smoke was slowly clearing in the wind, and he was able to watch as Ed reached what he assumed was the second design and then vanish one more, obscured in the smoke once again. Harry heard exaggerated coughed and glanced over to see Malfoy fanning his pointed face with his hand. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle. And Pansy Parkinson. Harry folded his arms.

"A mudpatch..so near the forest. Appropriate place to catch a Mudblood breaking rules don't you think...?" Malfoy sneered, and he took a step forward. Ron held out an arm to stop him. "Out of my way, Weasley."

"He's not out of bounds, Malfoy." Ron said.

"Really. I'll be the one to determine that for myself. What's all this?"

"None of your.."

Harry jerked his head back towards Ed as he heard.. a soft sort of noise ..like ..sobbing? A whistling sort of sobbing?

"Ed?" Harry called out. "Are you.."

"Yeah..fine!!" Ed called back excitedly. "Ha! VERY GOOT! Hold on!"

Ed rose from the smoke, both hands cupped about a small sort of something, and he turned and ran towards the first design. Harry watched as Ed kicked at the dirt. "Dhere. Is safe now. Come! Look!! LOOK!!"

Ed smiled a smile somewhere between a smirk and a frown, and opened his hands before him.

Harry couldn't help but grin widely at what he saw.

He looked to Ron. As busy as Ron was these days, he was pretty sure Ron didn't entirely realise what the fuss was about. Ron's face had a decidedly confused expression on it, which confirmed Harry's suspicion. After a moment where he glanced at Harry, he too grinned. A rather confused grin.

The snail sat in Ed's outstretched hands looking like round pebble for but a moment. Then. Two sets of feelers soon emerged from within the spiral shell, and the thing seemed to look about it in faceless wonder.

Malfoy snorted in derision. He then stalked his way towards the Quidditch pitch, the rest of his goons in tow.

* * *

Ed progressed through the mouse and the kitten 'vanishing', doing both with but a clap of his hands in quick succession the next Transfiguration class. The mouse vanished from his desk below his hand only to drop into the cage across the room. The kitten, instead of going to where the other kittens were kept..dropped onto Professor Mcgonagall's desk and rather ungracefully scattered her stacks of papers.

Ed raised his brows at his own bad aim, and looked at her stern face as she waved off the reaction's smoke with her hand.

"Well. That's rather most like apporating; however, as the spells are somewhat related, I believe that will do, Elric."

Ed glimpsed a rather thin smile as she regarded him, and nodded a small nod.

* * *

At lunch, he sat down by Harry, Hermione and Ron.

"Harry, Tell me. How does vone send mail vhen vone does not own an owl as you do?"

"Well.." Harry swallowed, and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh..the owlery! I thought we showed you!" Hermione gasped. "You mean you haven't ever written anyone..?"

"Dhere are not many I care to vwrite to." Ed said with a shrug.

"And Oxford..?" Hermione said

"No vorry..has only been 2 months since I last vwrote. Nature of de vork tends to make vone busy for vhile, so dhey do not alvays notice or care vhen I do not..um..call. I vish to vrite dem now..and odhers as vell. I vill also need to be sending dhem de notebooks back in..uh..London. How..?"

"I'll let Snuffles know." Harry said.

Ed scrunched his face in confusion.

"It's his house." Ron whispered. "Remember..?"

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Are you talking of Siri.."

"Shhhh!" All three hurriedly hissed at once. Ed frowned, then nodded.

* * *

Hermione showed him to the Owlery, and pointed out the ones that belonged to the school which anyone could use.

"How do dey know?" Ed said. "I know I asked dis before but..it's.."  
"They just do." Hermione said with smirk.

Ed nodded and reached for the first of the owls with his right. When he heard her open the door, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the first letter. By the address alone, he was sure she would try to ferret out what he was up to. It read:

Oxford University HR Department Mailbox #3

Resignation Request Notification

* * *

A few days before the big Quiddy game between Slythern and Griffindor, Ed limped his way to the Great Hall bundled up in no less than six layers of clothes, and found himself wishing for a seventh. Outside, the snowstorms of November were in full swing. In the mornings, like this one, he often felt so frozen he could barely move at all. Right now, he didn't really care who saw him in such a state. He was focused only on reaching his destination, and what was sure to be a warm meal.

Just as he eased himself down to the Griffindor bench, an owl fell with a crash right before him on the table. The poor thing looked about with the widest of eyes, held its wing at an awkward angle. Ed could see a number of its feathers were out of place.

"Oh..poor thing!" Hermione gasped.

"Looks like your mail's being searched too." Harry yawned as he sat down next to Ed. Ron joined them across the table.

Ed reached shaking fingers for the outstretched owl leg. Unable to get his living fingers to cooperate with his will, he instead broke the string with his right. He raised his eyebrows when he saw the note wasn't in an envelope at all. He unrolled it one - handedly onto the table, and saw a grid made up of zero's and ones that covered the entire page. Then snorted in amusement.

"What the?" Ron said, seeing the paper. "What kind of letter is that?"

"Guess." Ed said absently as he scanned the note, and smiled a smile somewhere between a smirk and a frown as he glanced to Harry and then to Hermione.

Both just shook their heads in confusion.

"Iz from Jon." Ed stated. "Basically. He is angry at me."

"Huh?" Hermione said. "You can read that?"

Ed nodded his head.

"I not dat fast vith it. Dis is binary code. Language of computers.. Iz.. um.. MUGGLE ting." Ed said with a wave to the others overhearing the conversation, (who looked sheepish and turned back to what they were doing before the owl arrived). "Jon, being big geek gearhead he is, alvays swears in binary code vhen he is very angry. He is also calling me Luddite, I tink, for bothering to send him letter. Carried by bird of all tings."

"What the bloody hell is a 'Luddite'?" Ron said, face scrunched in confusion.

"Is insult among some Muggles. Much like dat 'Mudblood' ting." Ed said and turned back to the letter.

"And you're still friends with the guy!?" Ron said in a surprised tone.

"Yeah. So?" After a several quiet moments he narrowed his eyes. "Iz numbers..dat refer to anodher code...No. Tch...too easy... Vat a git."

"What is it?" Harry said.

"In nutshell. Jon is vell and is now running from somevone he pissed off too much. Dis gives me vay to contact him if I need to." Ed folded up the note and put it in his pocket. Then Ed looked over at Harry.

"Iz cellphone number."


	44. The Golden Snitch

A/N: Tee-hee! Ed went and did something Eddish. Although there is a part here that I am still uncomfortable with, I think it IS (barely) within his character to do.

Making the quidditch game happen later in the day than depicted in the book, so there! Nighttime is so much more DRAMATIC! And the consequences will be severe and hopefully highly entertaining!

* * *

'Six layers of clothes with some extra padding stuffed in stragetic places. Even a rigged up something like a hot water..well.. bladder..' Ed thought ruefully. 'This cold and it's not even winter yet...WHAT a MISERABLE country!'

Though he was still feeling a bit frozen, with a bit of extra effort, Ed found could walk in the morning without much of a limp for the short bursts between classes. He replaced the water bladder he had transmuted from a pair of leather pants into the bag he had transmuted from his larger dufflebag.

The day of the Quidditch match between Slythern and Griffindor arrived, and Ed suspected, by what he saw in the Main Hall that morning, that most of the school would be in the stands. It was painfully obvious that most students favored Griffindor winning the silly game.

Ron sat across from him and looked as pale as could be. Not eating. Ed suspected he would be chewing on his fingernails if he had any.

Harry..he looked to Ron with sympathy, but had something of a confident smirk on his face as he looked about at the other tables.

"Harry?" Ed said.

"Hum?" Harry glanced back to the table.

"Dose.. sessions.. are a goot, and important, dhing for you to be doing." Ed said. "Dhank you."

"Uh..your welcome." Harry said, face scrunched in confusion.

Ed smiled, finished his meal, and picked up his notebooks with his right.

He patted both Harry and the slightly queasy Ron lightly on the shoulder before he strode out.

* * *

Though he knew he should feel something like glad that Ed approved of his approach in the D.A. afterall, Harry's stomach hit what felt to be an icy patch as he watched Ed leave the Great Hall.

"Did he just say what I think he just said?" Ron said.

"Yeah..he did." Harry said, and turned back to the table. "He's alright, I mean I think he is. He didn't sound angry or.."

He did notice that Ed had less of a limp today. Maybe that was it?

"Must be in good mood or something." Harry breathed, even as his stomach told him otherwise with what felt to be a flip and a drop.

"..Must have been mental to sign up for this..!" Ron whined as he leaned his chin into both his hands.

Harry chewed his bottom lip, uncertain on how to either guide Ron through the nonstop taunting ...nor how to go about settling what he was sure was a case of nerves. Then he thought, for a moment. Maybe. His stomach's antics were in sympathy for Ron.

* * *

In truth, it turned his stomach to do this.

He absolutely hated leaving something, especially something so important to someone he considered a friend, unfinished like this.

Still. He told himself he had waited long enough for his own unexpected breakthrough, and it had been nearly a year already since... Or..more than seventy..if his suspicions were correct about when he first was thrown through the Gate. And this was certainly the something over which he had agreed to attend 'Hag warts' in the first place.

Better to save what could be saved now if he should..

No. That wouldn't happen. That couldn't happen.

Besides, from what he'd seen, this place has hardly anything like it in any of the books he had searched through. The alchemical section was dismal indeed, unless there were better works in the 'restricted section'; that was the one place in the library he did not get a chance to browse through.

The facts were the facts. He certainly couldn't take it with him, and it would be considered utter rubbish in what they called the 'Muggle World' anyway.

He sought out the librarian's desk and stood before it. She was a stern woman cut from the same cloth as Professor Macgonagall. Dark hair tied back into a bun. Glasses. Thin. Face much like an underfed vulture. She looked up at him and frowned.

"Yes?" She said. "Can I help you?"

"I vish to make a donation." Ed said.

"A..donation..?"

"Yeah. Dhese notebooks..Dey are my vresearch." Ed said, and placed the notebooks down on her desk, and opened one up to a preselected page. "Alchemical vresearch. I vish to keep it someplace safe, but accessible to those who are in need of it. Is dis ting possible?"

"I... suppose..." The woman glanced down at the page, and squinted her eyes. "Though it is quite unusual for us to accept a student's work. May I ask why..."

"I am going to travel soon. It might get damaged."

She narrowed her eyes at this and glanced at the page.

"I can't read this." She said. "What language is this?"

"Amestrian."

"I..see. I shall have to look it over, and get the approval of the Headmaster before I make it availible. I will be happy to take them for now. Oh..Quidditch is today, isn't it?" She said distractedly. "Excuse me. I must close the library for the afternoon...Thank you, uh..Mr...?"

"Elric. Edvard Elric."

"Good Day, Mr. Elric."

Ed turned and strode out. He saw Hermione at a table piled high with books and gave a little wave at her as he went out the door. She gave a half-hearted wave back, face scrunched in some emotion Ed didn't glance long enough at to fathom.

* * *

"Harry.! Wait..!" Hermione called.

When Harry glanced to Hermione as he left for the Quidditch Pitch for the match, she certainly had a something nervous expression on her face. She glanced to Ron and made a brave wide smile when he looked to her. She then turned to Harry.

"Where's Ed..?" she said. "I thought he'd.."

"Git said he had something to work on." FredorGeorge said.  
"Waved us off and even wished us luck like a good little.."

"What..? He's not coming..?" Hermione said, in exasperation.

"Come on. Game's starting." Harry heard.. it was Angelina's voice. Harry knew better than to argue with her. As soon as Ron and he walked off a few steps, he made a glimpse back to Hermione. The worried expression was still there as she walked along behind them. She occasionally looked behind her.

He didn't have the time to wonder about it..

He climbed onto his broom, and rose into the overcast afternoon. Green eyes darting about as he heard the singing from the stands, mostly on the Slythern side. Not able to make out a thing of what the song was about during the confusion at the game's start, he instead searched the skies for the tiny golden ball.

* * *

Ed stood in the center of the deserted courtyard of Hogwarts.

As he had thought that morning..the castle was empty of students, and most staff. He wasn't sure if the groundskeeper had left like the rest, not that it mattered that much...The stars were out, but it wasn't near curfew yet.

'Besides..it's not like he'll be able to stop me.' Ed thought.

He heard the distant roar of the crowd, and breathed in deeply. Then raised his chin and looked up at the stars, letting his rough braid fall down his back. The patterns up there were as unfamiliar and strange to see as the first time he arrived, even though he had been in the astronomy classes several weeks now.

He focused on the one thing that was the same: the great river of stars high overhead. That would have to be the link to slingshot the second array into place.  
He closed his golden eyes and filled his mind with images of home. Resembool, where he spent what childhood he had with Al and Winry. Yock Island, where the river above showed him the secret of Alchemy; Central, where one could not even see the stars above because of all the lights alive at night on the streets... The underground city buried beneath where he...

He exhaled and a billowing puff rose into the air.

No..not there. That place was destroyed.

Better be Liore, at that ruined church he destroyed taking down that corrupt priest. There WAS a crest of blood carved there, thanks to Scar. The thought of the act the angry man performed still turned his stomach.

'Maybe it would be best to use that as an anchor for this purpose.' Ed thought, and opened his eyes. 'It would have been best to try this on the last day of October, when supposedly the walls between realms are weakest...'

"Tch.. I stay in this dream world much longer I will be speaking jibberish while waving a stick and believing in rubbish like the existance of all powerful gods.." Ed said in Amestrian as he shook his head in disbelief at his own thoughts. He lowered his head. "Liore it is."

The twin equations shined in his mind..he himself was at the center of one in this courtyard ..the other, he visualized within the ruined church of Leto. Both mentally drawn big enough to safely contain one person. The courtyard was almost not large enough..but then, neither was the church in his memory.

Satisfied it wasn't likely cause any harm, he slapped his hands together and splayed his fingers as he separated his hands. Large blue bolts of lighting arched all about him as he released the warm circulating energy, writing out the equation in pure energy. He felt the wind of the reaction whip his hair about wildly.

He glanced down. Icy packed earth of the courtyard..began to gave way to hot windswept sand... His stomach lurched, and he stumbled as the earth beneath his feet shook more furiously.

"Brother..?!?" He heard a familiar voice in Amestrian, and he looked up quickly.

It was a fleeting glimpse. Beyond the haze of the reaction. "...Al..?"

The furiously arching swirling energy changed...from his usual blue..to deepest of purples. Ed widened his eyes in alarm.

'No!! Not a rebound..! Not now..!'

* * *

Harry was circling high overhead when the singing.. 'Weasley is Our King' ..was drowned out by a deep rumbling noise. Then he heard panic shouts and screams, and glanced down wide eyed. Far below him, in the elderich glow that usually lit up the playing field at night, he could see the towers swaying.

He swallowed and turned his broom about. He glimpsed movement to his side and saw Draco Malfoy, his rival Seeker, doing the same.

Or so it appeared at first.

A shining golden bauble glinted just in front of Harry's face in the gloom, and abruptly, flew off into the clouds and darkness above him. He glanced to Malfoy, then saw him smile something like a feral grin. Draco then leaned into his broom and zoomed off after their mutual target. Harry glanced down once more, and judged that the towers seemed to be intact. He then leaned onto his own broom and gave chase as well.

He flew straight into the dark billowing cloud bank above him, and soon saw the dark shape of Malfoy racing along just above him. He looked about, but there was no sign of the tiny golden bauble.

All about him..lightning arched. He flinched and banked hard on his broom, nearly putting himself into an uncontrollable spin. He looked around, head down.. trying with all his might to get the broom back in his control.

The lightning. It was arching about as far as he could see. All around. It was EVERYWHERE. He blinked furiously against the glare...Realizing it wasn't normal lightning at all. It was PURPLE lightning.

Broom finally back under his will, he pulled out of the spin and looked about. Impossibly..there seemed to be a pattern to the arching that drew his eyes upwards. His mind blank, he found himself swallowing anyway.

Far above him.. was the source of the purple arcs. There...high in the sky, glowing brightly in purple, was what looked to be Ed's design thing he used for the snail.

The ice in his stomach returned.

He saw a glint of metal..dropping..falling quickly from within the hypnotic pattern of circles within circles, and without a thought, pushed his Firebolt into a steep dive after it.

He didn't dare think it was a "who".

The speed he was going blurred everything around him, and he adjusted his dive to get slightly under what was increasing looking to be a dark figure indeed. The arching of the strange lightning revealed not only the glint of metal, but he could just make out a mass of light colored hair as he drew ever closer.

He slammed into it, and it seemed like all the air in his lungs blew out with the force of impact. He grasped by instinct alone, which hardly secured the additional weight, held it in place with one hand and pulled back from his dive with the other. The dark that he knew was the ground looked far too close ...he gritted his teeth and pulled back even harder.

Blue archs of lightning flared, effectively blinding him. He felt a jerk that lifted him abruptly upwards. He took a breath..certain it would be his last.

The ground...where was the ground..?

He hit the soil in a roll. Losing track instantly of his burden as his arms came up to sheild his face. When he came to a stop, feeling decidedly bruised and sore, he heard a familiar, though very much rougher voice nearby in the darkness with him.

"MODER!! FUKKER!!!"

That was followed closely by the distant cheering of the crowd in the towers. Harry just knew that Draco had gotten the Golden Snitch and won the game for Slythern. He rolled to his back and gave the ground on either side of him a good punch with both fists.

"Blast it." Harry muttered. "You alright Ed?"

"Ye--"

But Ed choked on the word. Wet sounding coughs lasted for several minutes, and Harry withdrew his wand. With a whispered "Lumos" he looked about in the darkness. He saw Ed, laying on his side and gasping for breath. Metal right arm and most of his shoulder exposed and shining in the light. Harry got up.

Ed jerked his head up from the ground in alarm as Harry made his way to his side. Ed's robes gone..and the same could be said of the rest of the..several layers of clothes.. on him. They were but rags at best, and very nearly shredded up entirely. The lower section of his metal left leg was exposed. Harry could see in the feeble light that blood was pooling in several spots.

Then Harry saw the stream of blood dribbling down his chin as Ed struggled to push himself up from where he landed.

"Stop moving." Harry said.

"Stuff it." Ed grumbled.

Ed made it his hands and knees before another wet coughing fit forced him to stop and struggle for breath again.

"FUKK!!!" Ed punched the ground with such violence, Harry stepped away in alarm from the tantrum. He watched as Ed withdrew his metal right arm from a good foot deep indention in the soil.

"All that..and I'm still fukken here." Harry heard him whisper.

Ed bowed his head low, obscuring his face from Harry's view. He watched as Ed got down to his elbows, folded his arms, then lowered his forehead to rest.

Harry looked around them...he saw what looked to be grass around them. And..further back..trees. He swallowed, and looked in the other direction. More trees.

"The forest." Harry said softly. "We're in the forest."

Harry looked at Ed, who didn't seem moved by the news at all.

"Ed..we uh..better get moving." Harry said, and stepped closer to the smaller boy. He heard raspy wet breaths, and frowned. This was far from the sulk he had assumed it was. Maybe Ed really was..

"Minute.." Ed said softly, barely over the raspy wet sounds that had to be his lungs. "vRebound..did someting...to me..."

"Rebound..?"

He watched Ed nod weakly.

"IzVat happens... vhen vone ..calculates ..vrong..."


	45. Adrift

A/N: Wanted a longer chapter..but..since Ed's injured and all, I had to pull my punch. Sort of. With as much as he's hurt, he'd be in shock (whether he liked it or not), and useless. BTW, not all rebounds involve the Gate. Only human transmutation ones... as far as I know.

Don't look at me like that. Come on - Ed vs. Fluffy and the spiders would've been awesome !!!

Thanks for the reviews!!! Enjoy!

* * *

Harry squatted beside Ed, and listened to Ed's wet sounding breaths in the cold November night. He tried desperately, but couldn't remember a single healing spell..like his mind had gone completely blank. It whirled and whirled about what he just saw and experienced. Ed.. falling from so great a height, with no way to fly at all, from within that huge ..fantasic.. GLOWING design.

"Uh..Ed.." Harry began. "What the bloody hell was THAT? Apporating all the way up there?!"

"Told you..vas rebound." Ed said in a flat tone.

"What were you trying...?"

Harry saw a great exhale of puffy white air, which caused Ed to cough some more for several moments. He sighed as the coughs slowed down, and decided to try something else.

"Talk to me..where you hurt..?"

Ed was silent a moment, and then Harry heard something of a snort. Then, Ed pushed himself up with his metal right, while, Harry saw, his left seemed to wrap about his middle. Harry saw his fingers probing fingers reaching under the other side..just touching his back.

"Broke some vribs..." Ed then hissed as he withdrew his left and patted his splayed fingers gingerly about his stomach. "Burns here...don't know..can't vreach my back."

Harry took that as something of a request, and moved his wand to look. Mirroring the slashes he had seen in the rags..were long angry dark red marks in the scarred skin. Harry winced in sympathy, then saw that Ed's golden eyes were watching him.

"Vell?"

"They..um...they look like burns to me." Harry admitted as he sat back.

"Burns den." Ed said simply, and began to remove the many layers of rags on his top and pile them before him. Ed eased himself to something of a reclining sit that leaned heavily on his metal right. Harry gasped when he saw long pieces of skin peeling off along with the last layer of the rags, but was silenced by Ed's direct glare at him. Harry only glimpsed the source of the red oozing splotches about Ed's middle before he finally had to look away from the gory mess and swallow his bile.

"Burns.." Harry said. "Those are burns.."

"Second.. third degree I tink.." Ed said between clenched teeth. "Both kinds.. very ugly. Got lukky. Very very. Lukky."

With a flash of blue arcs of lightening, Ed transformed the rags into rolls of clean white bandages, and set about wrapping himself with them.

It took Harry several moments, but when he noticed Ed's teeth were chattering, he removed his own robes tossed them to him as well. Ed glanced at him, then without a word, looked down and wrapped them around himself. His hands tightly clutched at the edges as he rose uneasily to his feet.

Harry lunged to help him up, but startled at the glare Ed shot his way and stopped.

Ed eyes were that strange burning gold.

"You said. Ve are in forest, Yes?" Ed said, and rolled his eyes to the stars overhead.

"Yeah, The Pitch should be just over there." Harry said as he indicated with a wave of a hand.

Ed frowned then gave a slight nod.

"Den. Dis vay..." Ed took a step. Harry swallowed, and took a breath.

"Not that way!" Harry gasped.

"Is most direct.."

"There's things that way that..um..just trust me..you don't want to go there." Harry said hurriedly, waving his hands before him. "Let me... um.. where's.. Accio Firebolt!"

In the few moments it took to for the broom to return to Harry's hand, Ed had strode along.

"ED! Not THAT way!" Harry called out.

But, to his horror, Ed had continued walking onwards at a steady pace. Towards where Harry knew the acromantula colony was located. Harry rushed over to Ed and grabbed a firm hold of his metal arm.

"Ed..! Listen to me." Harry said firmly, even angrily as Ed managed to drag him along. It was as if Ed couldn't hear him at all. " Stop. We can't go that way."

'Have to block him..! Somehow.' Harry let go of Ed's rather chilly metal arm, scrambled to his feet and ran right in front of the injured blond. Once there, he spread his arms out wide to either side of him (Firebolt held in one fist). He looked firmly into those blazing gold eyes and blurted out the first thing that came to his head.

"Tell me why you just tried to kill yourself." Harry said, and nearly instantly regretted it when he saw Ed's brows scew upwards in a pained expression. "As a FRIEND, You owe me that much."

It worked..Ed stopped walking.

"I did not intend to kill myself, Harry." Ed said softly after a few moments in his raspy voice. "Just.."

"Bull. Tell me." Harry said.

Ed looked down a moment and frowned. When he looked back, the burning gold had dimmed somewhat.

"Had to try it." Ed said. "Dis. Vay around Equivalent Exchange. To see if my brodder was alvright or not. Almost vorked."

Harry scrunched his face in confusion.

"Equivalent Exchange?"

"Is basic Law in Alchemy. Cannot get someting from nodhing like looks like you can vith dis.. Magic." Ed said with his nose wrinkled in disgust briefly at the word 'Magic'. Harry smirked in spite of himself. Months in Hogwarts hadn't changed Ed one bit.

"So..um..what happened? I mean..that thing you made was supposed to take you somewhere right? Where was the other one...?"

"Dhat vone." Ed grimmaced, "For second..it took. And I did see Alphonse.." Then smiled a smile between a smirk and a frown. It was only slightly ruined by the blood drying on his chin. "..He is vell."

"Fantastic news. That must be.. oh brilliant..!" Harry said with a smile on his face, and gingerly patted Ed on his right shoulder. He noticed he could feel just how cold it was even through that brief of a contact with his riding gloves. "Now. Listen. I happen know something of this forest. So.. um..we really have to be careful here. Just..uh. Follow me.."

* * *

Ed floated along in the white. There was no up down left or right to speak of. It was a world of nothing. And, oddly, everything. It was the place where he knew the cold hard truth resided, but instead of that being, he saw someone else far in the distance. A flash of gold. Red. And black. A flamel symbol on the back of what looked to be a .. a long coat. Long gold ponytail flying between wide shoulders.

He floated along and got closer to the distant person. The person turned about, and looked around blankly in search of something. Ed caught his breath.

Gold hair. Gold eyes. Too young face, with the same stubborn chin as he had.

It was Al. Back in the flesh. The culumation of all his hopes and years of effort. Proof that he had succeeded, after all.

He slapped against an unseen barrier and watched helplessly as that THING appeared behind his little brother from the hazy white. He watched as Al's beloved, expressive face became stony in determination, and he bravely squared his shoulders, just before...

"NOOO!! DON'T!!" Ed screamed. "WAIT!!!"

Something wet dribbled down his chin.

He pounded his fists against the barrier over and over. And could only watch as Al turned about...

"NO!! NOT FOR ME!! NEVER FOR ME!! LISTEN!! AL!!!"

Ed swallowed back the burning ache lodged in his throat, and let his arms fall to his sides. Once again, he could only watch the reaching black arms reached out and engulf his little brother ..covering him view and pulling him into the void beyond the Gate.

If there was such a thing as a ground in this place, he would have fallen to his knees.

Ed then heard the familiar singsong voice behind him, and balled his mismatched hands into fists.

"Oh..Al-chem-ist..."

He scowled, and shouted with all his considerable might.

"GIVE HIM BACK!!!!"

Ed threw his right punch in the white..aiming where he has last heard Truth. Surprisingly..It connected.. with fully satisfying crunch!

Then.

The white haze engulfed him.

* * *

Harry stood in the hallway with Snape and MacGonagall, trying his best not to smirk at the sight of the growing puffiness forming around Snape's right eye. He'd been forced out of the wing when Ed began struggling and yelling. He didn't see much but he did hear a distinctive crack!, and saw Snape fall through the white curtains surrounding Ed's bed rather gracelessly.

"..And that's really it." Harry said, completing his tale, managing to leave out entirely what Ed had told him. He found it strange telling anything to Snape, but Snape had been the first one to find them in the forest.

At the time he was strangely thankful, because soon after, Ed had completely collapsed.

'Maybe he put a jinx on Ed. Messed with his head or something.' Harry thought suspiciously as he glared at Snape's cold dark eyes. 'He did find us rather quickly.'

"You better have just told this story in its entirety, Potter." Snape said in a chilling tone. "Or I will find you out and you will most certainly regret it."

Professor MacGonagall narrowed her eyes and took a breath. Before she could say a word...

"..just released him from Professor Snape's full body bind." Madam Pomfrey said. "Really, the dreamless draught is all that was necessary, especially with his injuries. He shouldn't have been able to move at all."

"Be sure to fully restrain the boy, if only to protect the other students. Oh, and patients, of course." Umbridge said in her simpering little girl voice.

"Fine. I will." Madam Pomfrey said, nostrils flaring in irritation, and waving her wand over her shoulder. "Though only to to prevent him from moving too much with those broken ribs and burns. Now. I strongly suggest that you leave your.. inspection ..for another time, and allow me perform my duties to my fullest capacity. Good Evening, Professor."

"Tut tut. Attacking a Professor once again in less than a few weeks." Professor Umbridge said as she exited the Hospital Wing. "Of all the highly unstable half-breeds in my work..Never in my wildest imaginings have I ever considered a half metal one such as he ever existed...If the Minister was not highly interested in learning who the one was that taught him such powerful spells ...among Muggles no less ..tsk.."

The Toad looked up, feigned surprise on her rather ugly toad face.

"..ah..Professor MacGonagall, I rather thought you would like my help to determine the just punishment for both these students for their infraction into the forest."

"Really. Well you thought wrong." Professor MacGonagall said with widened nostrils of her own. "They are in my house and it is my duty to sort this out myself. As Potter here was engaged in the rescue of a fellow student, I rather think that any punishment is unnecessary at all. On the contrary, I think a reward of 100 house points would be.."

"Come off it. He was clearly out-of-bounds of the Quidditch Pitch..50." Snape drawled.

"75"

"Done."

"Hem hem. I think a punishment IS in order for both Potter and Elric. And by Educational Decree.."

"Not another one..." MacGonagall groaned.

"Well. yes, just arrived in fact. Educational Decree 25." The Toad reached into her handbag and removed a scroll, and began to unroll it. "It was you, Minerva, that made me realise that there was a need for a further amendment. The Minister quite agreed with me that the High Inquisitor has to have the power to strip pupils of privileges or she -- that is to say I -- wouldn't have less authority than common teachers...anyway..the amendment reads.. hem hem.. 'The High Inquistor will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions, and removal of privileges pertaining to the students of Hogwarts, and the power to alter such punishments, sanctions, and removals of privileges as may have been ordered by other staff members. Signed Cornelius Fudge. Minister of Magic, Order of Merlin First Class, etc., etc..."

The Toad smiled widely, and glanced over to Harry.

"As Mister Potter was quite out of bounds in an area clearly forbidden to students no less, I believe he should be banned from ever playing Quidditch again. Yes.. A lifetime ban would be quite appropriate."

"Ban me..?" He said..his voice sounding quite small and distant to his ears. "From ever playing again..?"

"Why, yes." The Toad said sweetly. "I think a lifetime ban would do the trick, don't you think?"

The Pink Toady smiled a sickly sweet smile as she glanced back to the Hospital Wing.

"And as for Mister Edward Elric. Tut tut. Such a dreadful temper...! The only punishment I deem appropriate, since a stint in Azakaban for such Mugglish violence is out of the question, is that he simply shall have be expelled from Hogwarts entirely."

* * *

Ed was suddenly awake and aware of the antiseptic smell he despised second only to that of milk.

...his left forearm stung... And he had a funky, off, yet coppery taste in his mouth that told him he had had blood in it, along with something else. He heard several voices echoing in the distance ..a heated discussion down the hall by the sound of it. He opened his eye just a crack. A white ceiling was above him. He rolled his eyes without moving his head, and glimpsed white curtains.

He knew he was in a hospital. His eyes wondered to the funny shaped vials on the bed stand.

No..it was the Hospital Wing. Didn't hospitals now have things that beeped? Annoyingly. All the time. A voice told him in his head. This place was suspiciously silent except for that ongoing argument. That made this...the Hospital Wing.

Hag Warts.

Ed rolled his eyes back to the ceiling and closed them fully.

His mind slowly digested the new data, thoughts fuzzy and fluffy and full of clouds that matched the whiteness of the ceiling and the curtains. He had had his forehead comfortably leaned against his icy forearm plate as he coughed up liquid something clogging his lungs. He was freezing frozen at one time..he recalled the biting ache it caused in his shoulder port quite clearly before the puffy clouds hazed it away from his mental grasp.

He felt like he was floating along on a puffy white cloud. But that was a fantasy. An illusion. A lie.

He was an Alchemist.

By definition, he was one who pursued the Truth.

He rolled to his side, and hissed against the sudden pain in his ribs.

The haze fluffed away for but a moment.

'That's right. Still here. It didn't work.' Ed thought as the haze drifted about in his mind.

He would have folded his arms about himself, but it seemed that he couldn't move them. A gentle tug on his left revealed new data to process. He felt a sturdy strap of something holding his wrist in place against the side of the bed.

He was tied down.

The fluffy haze engulfed his sensibilities, and he drifted off to a dreamless sleep.


	46. in which things vindictive in nature are

A/N: Daaamn..so many words for a filler chapter. But important bits do tend to happen in filler chapters. Bits like Snape showing why we looooove the greasy git sooooo much. I just couldn't resist...and so some parts were once again post-poned, all because a character just HAD to do their thing. Thanks for the many reviews..

enjoy!

* * *

Harry stopped so abruptly in his rush to get to History of Magic that he nearly fell flat on his face. And nearly fell again when Ron bumped into him from behind. He looked around at the courtyard..or rather, the REMAINS of the courtyard. All of the statues that had previously occupied it were destroyed..only rough piles of stones remains. The fresh layer of snow did not hide the large cracks that criss-crossed the ground, nor the huge chunks of displaced earth that seemed to form shallow pits in what Harry found to be disturbingly precise patterns.

"Bloody..what. What happened?" Ron gasped.

Harry swallowed, and walked forward, carefully picking his way through like some of the other students. He glanced to Ron, and Hermione, and saw they were accompanying him --something that made him feel a bit better. Hermione walked close to Harry before whispering.

"Is..is this the same one..? I mean.. I only saw a bit of it clearly through those clouds before I had to hang on.."

"No idea." Harry said softly. "It's different..to seeing this way..if..if it is.."

"You lot!..Clear out this instant." Harry heard, and turned to see the hunchbacked Mr. Finch limping his way through the rough ground and waving both arms about in the air in his irritation. "This area's off limits..by order of the High Inquisitor! Move it!!"

They moved on the the class slowly, shuffling their feet all the way. Hermione cast him so many worried looks that he finally had to scribble a note to her-- using Fred and George's newest message sending parchment. He tore his piece in half, and flew the other to Hermione as a folded paper bird. She grasped the fluttering thing hurriedly with one hand and quickly unfurled it without missing so much as a syllable of the droning voice of Professor Binns.

Immediately, he scribbled a message. It faded away in moments.

-WHAT?

Her reply.

-You sure he didn't intend to kill himself?

It too faded quickly.

-He told me he made a mistake in his math. Why?

She replied

-Math? What does(scribbles) --Nevermind that.

-Just need to see how he is. He was acting real weird that day.

Harry smirked.

-When isn't he? You know what I mean.

Hermione wrote.

-Don't. He's.. I can't write that even here, but you know what he is. All considering, he's adjusted well, but I think you're not being fair. He's been--

The rest faded then came..

-He's been terribly isolated.

Harry sighed at those words. He had to admit that was indeed what had been happening with Ed. Most Griffindors had been avoiding him completely for weeks on end. Harry tried to recall a single friend of Ed's, outside of himself, Hermione, or Ron, and his mind kept coming up blank. Well, maybe Neville. He doubted it was out of meanness...it had more to do with all the House points Ed had managed to loose single handedly, and the other students tended to treat something like that as if it were a disease one could catch from the offender. It WAS all in good fun.. wasn't it?

Harry's stomach did a little flip.

Wasn't it?

Harry had told Dean, Neville, and anyone else curious enough to ask him (mostly all Ravenclaw girls), that Ed was simply sick and was currently recuperating in the hospital wing.

He vaguely wondered if McGonagall would remove yet more points if she deemed Ed suicidal, and an icy block returned to his stomach at the thought. That would be a real cold thing to do...something that he rather thought Snape would do if given the chance.

So far as he could tell..none of the students, outside himself, Hermione, or Ron, knew just what had happened to cause that great shining purple glow -- it was hidden behind clouds after all -- to appear right over Hogwarts. Big enough to stretch as far down as the Pitch. He didn't know how much longer that would last, nor just what everyone would say about it. It wasn't like it was any spell that anyone had ever seen before-- well, besides the Dark Mark... Harry didn't want to think about that.

And on top of this..the toad wanted Ed expelled..? And would've sent him to Azkaban if she could..?

He swallowed, and glanced down at the note. Reading..

-I think we really should visit him. Often. Think about it, will you?

Just as the words faded.

He nodded, and folded up his parchment.

* * *

Ed awoke to a fine view of white curtains in front of his face. His left arm, still bound to the bed, was tingling, and he flexed his fingers as he yawned. He felt a hum in his chest as he heard a simpering sickly sweet little girlish voice, and lifted his head to glare at the woman. He then noticed the chair beside his bed was occupied by a certain greasy haired man. One with a rather hooked nose.

"Well. Well." The pink toad said from the curtains she had parted with her own pudgy hands. "How fortunate that he awakens just as I'm passing through."

"Professor Umbridge. I assure you that he is far from being in any condition to be answering any questions you may have." Severus' voice sneered.

Ed took a breath. Then discovered that his tongue simply refused to move from the roof of his mouth. As he made several incoherent, but quite loud, sounds of protest, he glanced to the toad..

'No. Not her..No stick.'

His eyes then, quite naturally, went to Severus. He glimpsed, under the crook of the man's elbow, a slender wand..hidden quite well from the toad's view. Severus' cold glittering eyes eased over to look at Ed, and he saw a rather ugly bruise about the man's eye socket.

"An unfortunate side effect of that batch of the draught Madam Pomfrey administered happens to be an enlargement, and paralysis, of the tongue in larger doses. It should either clear up in a month, or prove fatal by the end of the week."

"Pity." The toad said, and gave Ed a sickly sweet smile. "Do keep me informed, Professor."

Ed watched as her smile faded, and she sullenly closed the curtains. A few more moments, where he heard her scribbling furiously on her clipboard, and she finally strode off -- low heels clicking on the stone floor. Ed tugged on the bindings of the bed in frustration. His right arm and left leg were very nearly torn free by the time he heard Severus take a breath.

"Settle down, Elric." Severus sneered softly. "You have stirred up much with that little..

Ed took a breath a that hated word, and though it hurt greatly due to his abused ribs...

"Silencio." Severus calmly whispered.

...hollered as loud as he could...but quickly found that no sound was made. Knowing exactly what had just happened --the silencing charm!-- only made him even more angry, and he swore..quite poetically.. in every single language he knew at the man sitting beside him. Managing quite well thank you, in spite of the fact that his tongue was still firmly lodged at the top of his pallet.

Severus continued blithely onwards..

"..little stunt... If you what you were intending to do was to kill yourself, you very nearly succeeded. There are other, far more fatal options-- poisons, for instance, if you recall the lessons I have taught you thus far -- that have the tiniest chance of survival."

Ed continued to swear in the artificial silence produced by the stupid charm anyway, viciously and vehemently mouthing every syllable, smoothly moving from one language to the next. Severus raised a single brow, when, nearly half an hour later, after working his way through a Xingese dialect, Ed finally stopped and glared at Severus.

"Obviously your injuries have addled your wits. As you just observed, one Professor Umbridge has an developed an interest in you that may be considered quite unhealthy to one such as yourself. I am largely responsible for keeping her from you in your current state. Continue such deplorable behavior, and I shall make myself quite scarce in the future."

Ed took another breath, but then scowled at the man instead. The hum in his chest faded, and he found he could once again move his tongue.

"I did not ask you..." Ed said.. his voice barely more than a squeaking croak.

"'Thank you' is the accepted response to such favors in this country." Severus sneered.

Ed grit his teeth and wrinkled his nose.

"Vhy. Am I tied down." Ed croaked out instead.

"That should be obvious." Severus said and looked Ed dead in the eyes. "To those, that is, not as dim as you are."

"Do not insult me, Severus." Ed croaked out, and glaced over to his right. With but a thought, he overrode the safeties, and easily pulled it free from the bindings with but a snapping sort sound from the leather strap as it tore like wet paper. "Now..Vho vas the idiot vho tought to restrain DIS vith only a leather strap?"

"That would be me. I thought it the far better option, other than removing it entirely..especially with that horrible woman watching me, observing exactly how to do so..!" Ed heard. Ed glanced over to the source. "Out you go, Professor. Leave him to have his proper rest." Madam Pomphey said briskly from the curtain.

Ed looked once to Severus..

..He was 13 years old.. chained to a chair in that dark frozen cold meat locker. Bloody butcher knives and human body parts littered all over.. some mixed in with the hanging carcasses of slaughtered pigs.

STUPID STUPID STUPID...walked right into it stupidsostupidstupid...

He a high pitched sob and looked to the girl hanging by a meat hook nearby. She was bound and gagged. Her blue eyes forced to watch, by the madman's design, what her creation..what she worked so hard to perfect for months on end.. his right arm ..what it did to him with each and every connection. He knew she knew better than anyone exactly what it did..

The pink Toad..Barry the Chopper ... it was hard to tell.. the man had lipstick and makeup on.

Oh..how he had heard of the exquisite pain automail caused when it was connected...! And look! It may be a male, but here is the perfect specimen to play with..!

The gaping wound on Ed's left shoulder bleeding even now, but it was ignored in favor of the metal right. Ed reached with it to his back pocket...ignoring the pain searing straight to the bone...Several muscles complained.. can't give..

..appeared to be enjoying removing and replacing his arm over and over and over again. Smiling that mad smile of the insane. Facinated with the machine and all the nerves and servos it connected to.

Ed swallowed and bit back each and every.. even as all his nerves were on fire in sympathetic mumbo crapola and the contents of his stomach rose to be emptied between each and every sudden shock. He just had to endure it. Long enough to.. It wasn't long before he was dry heaving.. Then on to puking blood.

Ed was certain he would be dead..absolutely dead.. once he let a single scream escape...

Panting from the latest bout of puking, foul coppery taste clinging within his mouth, he shot a quick glance to Winry.. Did she manage to get loose yet..? Only. Her face was wet and streaked with tears. She was still hanging there, eyes wide and glassy and fixed on him. She was shivering. He saw her shivering. Why wasn't..? Oh...She can't. She can't do it. Can't. Have to get her out...!

Still panting...Ed purposely coughed wetly, and choked something liquid up that splattered messily on his lap. It seemed to work..Barry was gloating in front of him..far from seeing...

Almost done...Left fingers cramping, but it was nothing ..not real pain at all. The tiny screw, his lifesaving tool, lodged between his stubby chewed off fingernails of his forefinger and thumb scribbling blindly on the back of his chair... Ed had his middle finger raised and hovering over what he hoped was a tiny, perfect array.

Then Ed saw him...from the edge of his vision.

The shadow of Severus stood silently. Right beside him as he panted, chained down in the little wooden chair, covered in his own sick...calmly watching the events around him with kind of detached, and even calculated, gaze..

Everything glowed red in that long forgotten frost covered meat locker as Ed realised what was really happening.

He certainly wasn't 13 anymore....

------Crrreeeeeak!------

Ed was aware that his metal hand was flexed, balled into a fist, easily crushing the metal rail of the hospital bed, however, instead of releasing his grip, Ed scowled at Severus, who sat in the chair beside his hospital bed.

Severus glared coldly at him in return for several moments.

"Seeing as you are currently out, I believe I shall prepare some more of the dreamless draught, Madam." Severus said softly in his sneering voice as he rose. "It should be ready by tomorrow evening, barring certain unforeseen.. incidents."

Ed lowered his head so that his bangs covered his eyes.

"Severus."

He saw Severus raise a single eyebrow and glanced down in his direction as if he were nothing more than a bug.

"Stay. De shit. Out of my head." Ed all but growled.

"What was that phrase you are so fond of? I believe it was.. ah yes. 'Equivalent Exchange'." Severus sneered. "Good day, Mr. Elric."

* * *

It was after dinner, and Quidditch practice was off for Harry, now that he was entirely banned from playing at all. Ron was threatening to quit the team, believing he was absolutely dismal at being a keeper. And Hermione was out of yarn, so she couldn't make any more elf clothes.

All of which meant it was the perfect time to visit Ed that night.

The decidedly overprotective Madam Pomfrey was all that stood before them now.

"No. Absolutely not. He needs his rest. No visitors." She insisted from behind her desk.

Not that even she would deter them for long at all. Not with an invisibility cloak at their disposal.

Harry parted the white curtain, while Ron kept a watchful eye on the nurse's desk.

"Ok..now!" Ron whispered.

They all slipped behind the curtain as one, and Hermione hurriedly drew the curtains closed behind them. Harry removed the cloak and looked to the only bed in the dimly lit enclosed space. He saw mass of long blond hair, strangely unbound.. body covered in piles of white blankets. He quickly double checked the Maurader's map just to be sure they had found the right bed.

The label clearly said Edward Elric. Harry looked up and saw very little movement..well maybe a twitch...

"Well.." Ron whispered. "Looks like the git's asleep. Let's go."

Hermione slowly..carefully moving like she was on eggshells..went over to the chair beside the bed.

Ed's torso jolted up immediately. Harry heard something that sounded like a chains, and noticed Ed's limbs stayed strangely in place.

"I thought she was kidding." Harry said softly, wide eyed, as Ed gasped and moved his head about in clearly something of a panic. The unruly bangs hid his face, so Harry wasn't entirely sure if Ed was upset or angry, or what.

"Kidding about what, mate?" Ron whispered.

"Restraints." Harry whispered, and approached Ed's bed. "Umbridge wanted him restrained last night."

"What're those.. chains?" Ron whispered. "Even for her...that's..!"

"'Iome?" Ed's voice barely croaked.. in something of relief. "Harry...v-vRon...?"

"Hi." Hermione whispered, and Harry could hear her smile. "How are you?"

Harry heard the sound of chains moving as Ed tried to sit up. The metal shoulder, what could be seen of it beyond the hospital gown and the multitute of bandages, were soon exposed. Ed suddenly winced and gasped, then settled back once again into the pillows surrounding him.

"Been better." Ed croaked, as he looked at each of them. He even smiled a wide friendly smile. "Hate hospitals. Goot to see friendly faces in here."

"Can't stay long." Hermione said. "Just wanted to see if you were, you know, ok. Right Ron?"

"Uh..yeah.." Ron whispered. "Like she said. We care, mate."

Harry saw confusion flash on Ed's face.

"Vas..?"

"It's just..I know you've had things rough for a bit." Hermione said. "Don't forget you're not alone, ok?"

Ed's face scrunched in confusion, then he lifted his head and seemed to looked at each of them for the longest time. Then he dropped his head back to the pillows, and breathed a heavy sigh that made him wince once again. He muttered something too low for Harry to hear in his language.

"I am fine. vReally, 'Ione." Ed croaked out as he apparently looked to the ceiling. "Some vays. Better dan I vas."

"'Ione. She's getting up." Ron whispered by the curtains.

"Well.." Hermione said. "We've got to go. Be by tomorrow. 'k?"

"Yeah." Ed croaked, chains rattling as he tunneled into his blankets a bit. "You know vere to find me."

The trio slipped back under the invisibility cloak and snuck out behind Madam Pomfrey as she entered the enclosed area. Once in the hall, and safely out of the line of sight of the nurse's desk, Harry removed the cloak.

"Chains...I can't believe that hag actually chained him..." Hermione said. "To a hospital bed no less...!"

Harry found he had to agree, though he was at something of a loss as to what to do about it.

"We HAVE to go to Dumbledore on this." Hermione said firmly. "She's really gone too far...!"

"Dumbledore has his hands full, 'Iome." Harry said. "'Sides..he won't be like that for long, anyway. Umbridge's really set to expell 'im."

"WHAT?!" Hermione gasped. "First Hagrid...Now..?!?"

"He woke up in a state as we arrived in the wing ..'member those few times during summer?.. and punched Snape." Harry said. "I saw Snape fall to the ground straight through the curtains. Umbridge has him cold."

"That black eye today...!" Ron said wonderingly. "Blimey... wish I could've seen the greasy git get it finally.."

Harry felt his scar tingle and rubbed it in irritation.


	47. Rehabbing duels

A/N- aaaaaand the part of the previous chapter the Snape, being Snape, force me to delay..

Ah heck..who am I kiddin'...This is the internet..

I can make a chapter only a few words if I wanted to.

* * *

Hagrid's lesson that Tuesday wasn't like his usual lessons on Magical Creatures, being quite interesting and not the least bit life-threatening. The only thing that really ruined the entire experience was the presence of the Toad, which was something the half giant could do nothing about. It was clear to Harry by the end of class that Umbridge possessed quite the low opinion of Hagrid, and was highly suspicious of his teaching abilities.

'She kept treating him like he was so..dim.' Harry thought, stomping angrily down on a particularly thick drift of snow.

He made is way back to the castle with Hermione and Ron, thinking on the Thestrals he had seen, rather than the plants he pruned back in Herbology class. He felt somewhat relieved that Neville could see them as well-- That at least meant that he wasn't losing his sensibilities.

"Wait wait wait...just remembered.." Ron said. "Didn't Ed see them too? The thestrals?"

"You're right..he did." Harry said, thinking back to their arrival. He remembered seeing Ed petting one of the dragonish horse creatures.

"Who..who you recken he.." Ron said.

"No idea." Harry said. "He's like me, 'member..? An orphan...."

"Sorta. Keep forgetting who he said was his dad, huh?" Ron said, with a smirk in his voice. "Could still be around, right? If he's really.."

"Wonder if body-jumps count for that whole ..seeing someone die thing." Harry muttered, half believing now that Ed had to have made the whole thing up.

"I rather think it shouldn't come up when we see him today." Hermione said. "We're supposed be, y'know, cheering him up, not reminding him of.."

"Yeah." Harry said. "Believe me. I know."

Madam Pomphey relented and allowed for short visits beginning the middle of Ed's second week, and Harry suspected it was mostly to keep the blond docile as she had decided to finally unbind him from the bed. During the first such sanctioned visit, Ed was clearly figeting about restlessly as they spoke about polite, safe things -- how classes were, what Ed missed out on, and the like.

"..And Hagrid..you haven't met him, but he's back teaching the Care for Mag...

"{Chimeras R us}" Ed interrupted in his language, with a smirk. Harry was beginning to associate the odd sounding word with this class in particular.

Yeah..that class. I know you're not really that crazy about it but..You know those dragonish horse things?" Harry said "The ones we saw pulling the carriages..?"

"Harry!" Hermione hissed. "You said you wouldn't.."  
"'Ione... I won't."

"vWhat about dem?" Ed said, certainly not figeting now, and his golden gaze fixed on Harry.

"Hogwarts has a whole herd of them." Harry finished. "And..they're called THESTRALS."

Ed eyes narrowed.

"So dat's vhy you and I can see dhem. And vRon can't." Ed said softly. Harry's eyes widened, and he found he had to sit down.

There was silence for a while, during which Hermione shot several death glares in his direction. Each one, rightly so, made Harry's stomach sink as the silence continued to stretch. He also felt a tightness about his throat that refused to let a single word come out.. he found himself working his mouth and making several short, kind of "ah." sounds, which were not the appology he intended at all.

'Ed...scarily sharp at times...as sharp as Hermione. Why did he have to remember THAT when he had completely disregarded the boggart?' Harry thought as he sat there.

"Ahem..um.. Can I..If it's too painful..don't answer, mate." Ron said. "..but. Um..Who..?"

Harry glanced hopefully over at Ed, and saw a thoughtful, yet sad, expression on his face.

"My mom. I vwas 6." Ed said. "She died at home of a disease dhat had no cure."

"I'm sorry.." Hermione breathed. "He shouldn't've.. honestly..!"

"Vas long time ago. She vwas good vwoman and went peacefully." Ed said, and waved his hand dismissively. Then snorted and rolled his eyes. "Dhink about it. Is STOOPID defense mechanism for animal to have.." Ed narrow his eyes and rubbed his chin. "I wonder..vwhat brain frequency is dhis.."seeing death"..dhing at. It vreally can't be just because somevone has seen somevone DIE..."

Harry snorted, and his stomach eased up on its descent.

Hermione took it upon herself, in addition to her Prefect duties, to take what assignments she could to Ed. The only ones he seemed at all interested in were the ones from Transfiguration; the rest piled up on the floor in varying degrees of neglect and disarray.

When they went on such visits, there were times when they had to wait..as Umbridge, and strangely, Snape, had taken to visiting Ed as well. They were never visiting him together.

Ed wouldn't talk much after those visits. He would fold his arms and look away with a scowl on his face, (in the case of Umbridge), or (in the case of Snape) smile a wide bright smile -- one which looked somehow fake to Harry -- and immediately ask how their day went.

Harry couldn't blame him, really, with either of those two visiting him. He thought he would act rather miffed as well if such horrible visitors happened by while he was stuck in a hospital bed.

Before long December rolled in, along with a positive avalanche of homework for the fifth years. As much as Harry enjoyed visiting Ed, the combination of his impending expulsion, Hargid's dismissal, and his own lifetime ban on Quidditch weighed so heavily on him, that the only thing he found he truly enjoyed at Hogwarts were the D.A. meetings.

Before he knew it the final meeting of the year had arrived. After taking down the various decorations that Dobby had put up about the ceiling, to his surprise and amazement, Ed walked into the room. Instead of the hospital gowns like he had been in that afternoon, he was dressed in a black long sleeved sweatshirt and dark long pants. His long blond hair tied back into a ponytail, and unruly bangs hanging loose about his face.

"Hey!" Neville said. "Welcome back!"

"Some sick you've had, there."

"You well now?"

"How're you?"

Ed rubbed the back of his head and looked about him at all the friendly faces surrounding him. Harry saw a wide smile plastered there on his face.

"Um.." Ed began. "I am vwell."

* * *

Ed looked about him. All of those children who had avoided him were now..friendly. And not in the way he could accept. He saw pity in a lot of their expressions, mixed with a false concern. He looked to Harry, and though it was not exactly what he had in mind when he strode down the hall to this meeting place, made his decision.

After all..for the time being, he was stuck here. Like it or not..this was his world, too.

'For now, anyway.' Ed thought.

"Harry." Ed stated. "vRemember my suggestion on teaching how to be bad targets?"

Harry's face scrunched in confusion, but he nodded.

"Should be simple task for you." Ed said. "I want YOU. To hit. ME. Vith vhatever you like from your stick."

Harry's eyes widened like saucers, and he took a breath.

"Ed, That's hardly fair. You just got released from.." Hermione said with alarm in her voice.

"...I.. am flabby from dhat stay. As such, should make dis fair match." Ed said with but at glance at her. Then he looked solidly at Harry and tilted his head to the side. "Are vwe at Equivalence?"

"How long..?" Harry said in a worried tone. "I mean, they've got to have practice time and.."

Ed chuckled.

"I vwill not be attacking you, only dodging. Dhat is more dhan fair of me, I dhink."

Ron, standing beside Harry, lowered his brows, and withdrew his wand.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed.

"He laughed at Harry, 'Ione." Ron said angrily, and Ed watched him calmly as Ron marched right up to him with angry stomping steps. Ed entered his fight stance and casually clasped his hands behind his back. He carefully kept his expression stony even when Ron pointed the wand at his face with a highly exposed right arm. The boy was such an easy read...

"Again." Ron finished, practically spitting out the word.

"If you vish to see exactly vhy I laugh, vRon." Ed said in a calm, confident tone. "Ve vill need bigger place dan dis."

"Room's plenty big enough.." Ron said.

"I vas speaking of castle." Ed soft and low, so that only Ron could hear him. Ed met and held Ron's eyes, and noted how his wand hand trembled -- A little more violently with every passing silent moment..

Ed felt no hum in his chest..thought maybe the boy WAS all bluff. He kept his balanced equation shining in his mind anyway.

"Ron..put it away." Harry said, and reached out a hand. He pushed the wand down gently to point at the ground.

"Ten minutes." Harry said. "Lets stand as if we're going to duel."

Ed nodded a small, crisp nod. Internally, he rolled his eyes and groaned.

'Always with the stoOopid formalities..' Ed thought, shook out his hands and took his place across from Harry, standing easily in his deceptive fighting stance. He saw the others sit down on the silken cushions. He felt the hum in his chest and looked to Harry, saw his wand pointed right at him. Exposed arm steady.

The hum increased. Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Impedimenta!"

Ed was in motion before the energy left the wand, easily diving under it into a forward roll that he turned into his usual handspring. He shifted his weight to the side as he launched into the air.. and felt another hum in his chest, and glanced back to Harry as he landed on his feet.

Harry had his wand on him once again.

"Stupify!"

Ed lunged, dropping to his side. The shot flew high once again, and he swung about into a flying leg sweep that brought him to his feet. Another hum, and he launched himself into a back flip.

"Impedimenta!"

He saw the energy strike harmlessly against the wall while he was in the air. Another hum as he landed on his feet..another lunging dodge and a roll that avoided the strike. Back flips followed cartwheels. Handsprings lead to leaps. Over and over and over.

"TIME!" Ed heard Hermione's voice yell, and settled back down fully to his feet. He noted with some pride that he wasn't even sweating. He glanced to Harry, and saw him pant a bit as he lowered his wand. Then..Harry smirked at him. Then smiled widely as he glanced to the students gathered to the side.

"What the..."  
"Harry missed..?" "How..? How'd he..?"  
"Wow..just..wow.."

Ed heard those, and several more, whispered phrases, and glanced over to the students. Their expressions on their faces were a mixed bag of awe.. amazement.. and even bewilderment. To his satisfaction, Ed didn't see a single look of pity on any face.

His eyes settled on the blue eyes of Not!Winry Luna, the amazed look there on her face as she dreamily gazed at him ..and his mind froze.

"Well..good." Harry said and Ed heard a thunk on his right port. "I believe that makes your point quite well, Ed."

Ed swallowed and with difficulty, tore his eyes from the dreamy sea of blue he was drowning in. He instead looked to the silk mats to the side and studied them intently.

"No point in covering anything new right now, though." Harry continued. "Showing us how to do this, well, I think it should have to wait until after the holidays."

Ed nodded a brisk nod, turned, and strode off to the bookshelves. Once again, a warm, overstuffed arm chair rose up to greet him from the ground. Once he saw everyone paired off and otherwise distracted, he gingerly lifted his sweatshirt and gently probed his many bandages. He saw only one burn leaking fluid, but, worryingly, was the big one on his stomach.

He replaced his sweatshirt, held his left hand against the wound and reached for a book with his right. His metal hand gleamed in the torch light of the room as he glanced at the cover.

It read:

Alchemie

Anciente Magicks of Egypt: A resource of wandless curses and jinxes

He snorted, opened the book, and leaned back into the chair.

___________________


	48. Nargles Vision Full Exposure

A/N: Hmmm..trying to decide if I should do a mini battle in the subway or not...hmmm.

Anyhow...another "filler chapter" as I manage to move the plot along... (The all mighty fluffy cuteness plot bunny bit me!!!) Should be an interesting enough of a read, I hope.

Thanks for the reviews...!

* * *

Ed was but a quarter of the way through the book, muttering to himself in a mixture of English and Amestrian, when he felt a hand on his left shoulder -- happening right on top of a burn -- and winced. He glanced at the hand in annoyance...when it lifted and withdrew. He looked wide eyed into the too familiar sea of blue.

"I rather thought I just saw a stermore delarium, but it appears I was mistaken." Her familiar voice said. Ed swallowed. Mind blank, book forgotten on his lap as he watched Not!Winry look him over dreamily. "It's obvious now that you just got bitten by nargles. You must be infested from the mistletoe."

"Mistle..toe..?" Ed echoed quietly.

Luna eased her eyes upward, and Ed, freed from the endless sea, followed her gaze. Overhead, hanging high above his heated chair, was fresh branch of some sort of greenery. The scientist in him caused him to narrow his eyes. The plant..no it was fungus..he found it clearly in his mind.

"Zat..it iz entirely poisonous." Ed heard himself say. "Vhy vould somevone tink to bring such a ting inside at all?"

"I suppose its because of the nargles." Luna said dreamily. "They usually infest mistletoe, you know."

"Vas..?"

"Nargles."

"Oh." Ed said, not entirely remembering what nargles were at the moment. He swallowed and avoided looking at Not!Winry. Noticing for the first time that the room was nearly empty. "Vhere is everyvone..?"

"The D.A. meeting's finished." Luna said. "Since you're bitten.., a warm shower should stop those nargles from burrowing in too deep."

Ed saw Harry, with a girl. She had long dark hair, and almond eyes. They were standing beneath another sprig of the same plant..fungus thing. Standing very very close. Moving closer.

Ed felt a warm hand.. like a soft breeze ..enclose gently around his living left, and startled. She had such smooth hands..Hands unused to hard work. She was NOT! WINRY.

"Someone should walk you to your dorm." Luna said vaguely, as she tugged his hand upwards gently. "Those nargles are really doing a number on you."

He rose from his seat and stood before her.. Noticing they were nearly the same height. Like with Winry. The blue sea of her eyes...Dreamy as she is.. She was so close ...and Real. He could feel her breath against his skin ...So very Real..

He turned abruptly and replaced the thick tome onto the bookshelf, and recited the periodical table in his mind. Over and over again for several moments.

When he turned back, he made certain there was more room between them -easier to do now that the chair had retreated into the floor once again -- and gave a polite nod to the girl.

"Luna, I vill be fine." Ed said.

"Of course." Luna said vaguely, and turned about. He watched her leave.

She even walked so much like Winry.

He knew it was only Equivalent he think of her as "Luna" now. Even though his heart said it was far from fair.

* * *

He floated in the whiteness...there was a figure in the distance..wearing a long red coat...He hit a barrier as he reached forward.

"Big bwodder?" He heard a little girl say behind him. "Will you come play wid me?"

It was an innocent question.

He turned his head, though he didn't want to..very much didn't want to see..

A scream pierced his ears...and he jolted upwards.

Ed opened his eyes, panting, and saw darkness around him as the scream continued. He noted he was laying on something soft, thick covers fell off his chest, and a warm purring something was curled up beside him. Remembering the dream..he glanced behind him, and saw only a thick curtain by what light there was.

The screamer took a ragged breath. By the location in the room..sleep fuzzed as he was, he assumed he was in the dorm..it had to be..

'Harry!'

Ed parted the curtains and rushed out. In the dim light he could see Harry wreathing about, holding his head with both hands. Ron was closer and reached Harry's side first. The torches in the room lit up.

Ed stood by the end, reached out his metal right..then stopped. Berating himself for his mistake --cold hard metal was hardly the thing to use in situations like this-- he withdrew his hand and reached out with his left. Ending up only gently patting a writhing foot. Ed could see Harry was quickly looking like he was wrapped in a coccoon of blankets as he writhed about on his mattress. His skin pale, and he saw a sheen of sweat rising as if Harry had a high fever. The lightening shaped scar was a most definite angry red.

Harry mumbled and muttered nonsense, and Ed heard a gasp and the sound of footfalls behind him. He spared a glimpse, and found his view blocked by the others who shared the dorm. Then..out of the nonsense.. he thought he heard something familiar. A series of syllables. Hissing syllibants.

That cadence. That rhythm.

Ed narrowed his eyes trying to place it.

"Harry! HARRY!" Ron called out.

The mumbling stopped as Harry opened his eyes blearily. Then leaned over the bed and puked.

"Ron..Ron..listen." Harry gasped.

"He's really sick..we should get someone.."

"Ron..you dad..your dad's been attacked." Harry gasped as he leaned onto his elbow.

"What?" Ron said uncomprehendingly.

"He's been bitten..it's serious..there's blood everywhere..!"

"Harry..mate..you were just dreaming..!" Ron said.

"NO!" Harry said furiously. "It wasn't a dream...not an ordinary dream...I was there. I saw it.. i did it.." Harry breathed heavily, then leaned over and spewed again. Ron jumped back out of the way.

Professor McGonagall entered the room in a tartan dressing gown. Ed backed away to make room as the woman rushed to Harry's side. She gave him a rather sharp look before she settled beside Harry and spoke softly.

Ed turned and took up the task to..as gently as he could.. urge the others around him away from Harry's bedside. That was when he noticed the distinctive sound of metal on stone, and glimpsed down at himself. The many bandages were still in place about his middle and chest, looping over his left shoulder. The only article of real clothing on him was his boxers.

Which meant..for the first time..the full extent of both his right arm AND his left leg was there for all present in the dorm to see.

He half-grunted, and smirked in self-depreciation, and waved the others back anyway, ever mindful with how he used his right.

McGonagall took Harry and Ron to see the Headmaster, leaving Ed alone with the others.

As soon as Ed sat down on his bed, and lightly probed his bandages with his left, the purring tawny puff ball rubbed up against his right port. Ed reached over with his left, and scratched between his ears.

"vat are you doing here, Crookshanks?" Ed said. "Did 'Ione send you?"

He then noticed all eyes were now on him. First, he just looked back at them, then, as the staring continued, glared at each. Seamus. Dean. And even Neville. As they all stared and stared and stared. Finally. Ed had enough.

"Vaaat!?!" Ed nearly yelled, and Crookshanks jumped from him to the ground at a dead run.

"A leg, too?" Dean said. "How'd you loose them? Dark wizard like with Moody?"  
"Arm's still so bloody awesome." Seamus said. "I had no idea it was so.. How much did it cost..?"  
"You..you did all that... today...in bandages, and with a fake leg..?" Neville squeeked out.

They spoke all at once, English a jumbled impossible mess, and Ed certainly had no patience to sort questions of this kind out in any language anyway.

Instead, Ed scowled, and balled his hands into fists.

"Muggles or Vizards.. all are fukkin idiots.." Ed growled loudly, and reached for his long pants. He slipped them on in but a moment with a few hops, jerked a muscle shirt free from his pile, along with a long sleeved sweat shirt, his water bladder bag, and his boots. He then stormed down the spiral staircase, one foot clinking loudly as he went.

'Not like I'll get back to sleep anyway.' Ed thought as he plopped down the water bladder by the now lit hearth. He dressed, rather angrily, the rest of the way, tied back his hair in a rough braid, stomped into his boots, and began his isometric routine right there before the fire.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a flitting movement, and knew he had an audience. Ed stopped moving, narrowed his eyes.

With a glance, he saw a pile of many many knitted hats on a head that had an impossibly long nose, large eyes, and a pair of pointed, nearly floppy ears. He glared at the unwelcome chimera -- expecting an attack of some sort.

To his surprise, the creature actually looked somehow embarrassed, and vanished entirely.

Sometime later, McGonagall entered in a rush...and again gave him something of a sharp look. He continued on with his routine as she strode by and up the spiral stairs to the boys' dorm. She soon emerged with the twins, directed them to wait by the door, then rushed towards the girls dorm, ad soon emerged with Ginny. Ed rose to his feet, and tilted his head.

'That nightmare of Harry's being taken seriously?' He thought.

"You gotta be kidding me." Ed said. "Harry...dhat dream.."

"Elric..this is none of your concern." McGonagall said briskly. "A person in your condition should be in bed at this hour..."

"Do not be changing de subject." Ed snapped. "I am.."

"Not now, Elric." McGonagall snapped coldly. "The Weasley's are needed elsewhere at the moment."

Ed scowled, but waved as they rushed off out past the portrait of the fat lady. He plopped down before the fire, wove his mismatched fingers together before his chin, and frowned. His mind whirled and whirled about at the ridiculous notion of adults taking a mere dream so very seriously.

But then..there WAS that strangely familiar...near-language.. that came from Harry's mouth...

For a moment..it had almost sounded Amestrain.

* * *

Once again, Ed was given something of a wide berth at the table.

Ed piled food onto his plate as Hermione sat down beside him, the only one of the three that remained at "Hag Warts" that morning.

He could easily see her looking at him with something of intense scrutiny, and did his best to ignore it. He'd had far enough of it already from the likes of Dean, Seamus and even Neville; Right now, those three were whispering down the table from him, grouped within another group that included a number of the D.A. students from Ravenclaw. There were a number of sharp looks shot in his direction, now and then, from THAT little discussion. And it wasn't the only sharp looks he was receiving.

Ed hadn't bothered to go back for the hated!robe.. it was still back in the dorm. As were his gloves. He was NOT avoiding unwanted questions about his false limbs. No. That was not it at all. It was just that he didn't need either article of clothing, really. What was the point? Nearly everyone knew about his arm by now, either by rumor, or having seen the thing for themselves. And the stoOopid robe could just rot for all he cared anyway...!

From the high table. McGonagall glared. As did Severus. And Umbridge...she very nearly smoldered in her rage as she looked in his direction. He made sure he glared right straight back at her beady, bulging eyes.

She hadn't expelled him yet. Severus had assured him in the Wing that she didn't have that authority. Especially if Severus kept insisting, whenever pressed, that he simply fell on a well placed rock. It was logical; Umbridge wasn't actually present in the room at the time that he had recieved the black eye, after all.

Ed knew it was only a matter of time. He also didn't much like the price Severus asked for his duplicity... If he didn't need access to the damned library...

He looked to the man called Dumbledore, the one who may have helped in creating a philospher's stone, saw him rise from his highbacked chair and walk towards them. Blue eyes twinkling intelligently behind half-moon glasses. Ed narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

'I'm supposed to trust him.' Ed reminded himself, finding the whole idea as ludicrous as the first time Severus brought it up.

"Good Morning, , Miss Granger. I wish to let you know of some grave news." The man said softly in a kind sounding voice. Ed had heard kind sounding voices before, and the people who had them tended to do terrible things right after... "Mr. Weasley was critically injured last night."

Hermione gasped, and Ed glanced quickly at her horrified expression. Her hands covering her mouth.

His golden eyes went straight back to the blue of the old man's, face stony as he looked hard at the kind seeming man.

"He's alive. And is currently in St. Mungo's" The man continued in the next breath. "I've allowed the Weasleys, and Harry as well, out to visit with him as soon as I was informed of the situation."

"Oh..Thank you." Hermione breathed, and lowered her hands from her face. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome." Dumbledore replied. With but a fleeting glance at Ed, he turned and strode back to his place at the high table.

Ed tilted his head as he watched him go, feeling mildly bewildered by such kindness. Dumbledore certainly received nothing from relaying the message --there was no equivalence there at all. Still..it wasn't as if it was the first time he'd encountered such an act...

He looked over to Hermione and skewed his eyebrows as he noticed how shiny wet her eyes were. He hadn't had much contact with Mr. Weasley, though he seemed nice enough of a man. He really felt worried for the overtly motherly Mrs. Weasley...How would she be..? Oh he knew..he could easily picture it.. He could never watch a woman cry...Never ever...

Hermione gave a little sniff, and her eyes were soo watery...

His right hand twitched, and without thinking he reached out, but then looked down and made a fist with it instead. He lowered the metal hand to his lap and gently patted her, rather awkwardly, on her arm with his left. Then widened his eyes in surprise, as she lunged into him ... wrapping him in a desperate, sideways hug that he couldn't really completely feel over his port.

"His Dad!..poor Ron." He heard her breathe. "..Poor Ron..!"

He patted her arm with his left, and took GREAT care NOT to move his right.

'..Last thing she'd want right now is a few broken ribs..or a bruised sternum..' Ed thought rather uncomfortably, and raised his eyebrows.

He swallowed as she abruptly withdrew, blushed and straightened her robes.

"OH!" Hermione said, and chewed on her bottom lip self-consciously. "Sorry."

"Um.." Ed stated, and quickly looked back to his plate. "Iz..uh.. Equivalence..."

"Right."

"Zo. Uh.."

"Mr. Weasley's at St. Mungo's..." Hermione said as she looked to her own plate. "How to..."

Ed poked at his scrambled eggs with his fork. He noticed a glass of milk wandered across the table towards him, seemingly entirely on its own accord. It stopped right in front of Hermione, and she took the glass in her hand. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he watched her sip.

"Of course!..The Knight Bus!" Hermione said brightly, and glanced at him. "What..? What is it?"

"You... DRINK.. that foul liquid secreted by a cow?" Ed said incredulously.

"Well, yes..it's quite goo.."

"UUGGGH." Ed said, shivered, and stuck out his tongue. "DisGUSTing!"


	49. Aftermisunderstandings

A/N: Laptop on fritz..but got a chappy done anyway!! Wanted to squeeze in more stuff..but decided it would be boring. so i cut it. Wanted a hospital scene too, but that is postponed 'til the next chappy..

Thx for the reviews!!!

* * *

Ed stopped walking when he saw it.

Before him was the ruined courtyard. A month's worth of snow hadn't managed to cover the mathenmatically precise cracks in the earth. He could easily make out the array branded there.

"Something wrong?" Hermione said, loud enough to be heard.

Ed swallowed, and tore his eyes away from the mess. He saw the other students hurrying by and completely avoiding walking through it. Most rushed by using the halls.. Which made them quite crowded. And loud. Ed frowned and continued onward to the library.

Hermione grabbed his arm and forced him to stop walking.

He turned and glared at her, and found she glared right back. Then, her face changed to one filled with concern and worry. Ed then darted his eyes about..saw far too many ears walking about them, and jerked his chin towards the library.

"But..class..!"

Ed wrinkled his nose, and jerked his arm out of her grasp.

A few steps inside past the doors, and Ed found his way blocked. Mrs. Pince, feather duster in one hand, looked down at him.

"Mr. Elric." she said. "My sincerest apologies...You are banned from seeing these tomes from now on."

"VHAT DE SHIT?!?" Ed yelled out. "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!! I.." Then he found he could curse and yell all he wished, but not a single sound could be heard. He scowled at the woman before him, and silently fumed in his fury.

"Mr. Elric..Though you may be banned from it, this IS a LIBRARY. I remind you to keep your voice down." Mrs. Pince said imperiously.

Ed balled his hands into fists at his sides and clenched his teeth in his frustration. Then turned about, only to see that Hermione was standing right behind him.

He scowled at her as well.

"Ed..?" She whispered in a hushed voice.

He stormed on past her, and..just as the final bell for class rang out, kicked the doors open with a BANG!

The echoing sound told him the halls were empty, and he stomped onwards... towards the Toad Woman's office.

"Ed..!" He heard Hermione call out. "Ed just..!"

He was midstep when he felt a hum in his chest.

Ed smoothly slapped his palms together, reached one hand for the wall, and released the warming energy. Blue lightning flashed and snapped along the ground behind him. He heard a little "Eeeep! Heeey!!", followed by the clattering of a stick, and the hum abruptly faded from his chest.

He completed his step..

"Edward!" Hermione yelled. "Whoa..! Let me down...!"

Another step.

"Stop a minute! Aaack!"

Another.

"AT LEAST!...Talk to me first!"

And another.

"Ed..! Please!!!"

Ed stopped, and looked behind him at Hermione. She who was now dangling upside down high overhead, thanks to the stone hand that firmly grasped both of her feet before the library doors.

"Daat tyrant..Toad voman..." Ed growled loudly. "I. Am ending. Dis ridiculous game of.."

"No..Don't. Don't do anything." Hermione said desperately, pushing her robe and hair out of her face. "Please..no. I don't want you in Azkaban.. or worse, expelled... or.. um.. Let me down."

"You vill not be pointing daat stick at me, yes?" Ed glared at her as he jerked his chin at the wand on the ground.

"What? 'Course not. Not now. Could you please let me down? Before Finch comes by and.."

Ed closed his eyes and with considerable effort, willed his temper down. He then slapped his palms together. A touch to the wall, a flash of blue lightning, and Hermione was eased, though she managed the manuever awkwardly, back to her feet.

Ed folded his arms, glared at the library doors. He heard Hermione say something like she didn't know he could do something like blah blah blah, but he wasn't really listening past the grinding of his own teeth.

"If I can not access dis library, dere is not much vreason for me to be here..." Ed stated when she was a few feet away.

"Of course there is." Hermione said. "Well. There's me. and.."

"'Ione. Really. I do not mean daat as for KILLING myself." Ed said "And for vrecord, DAAT ting..." Ed jerked his head in the general direction of the courtyard. "..vas not meant to do it either."

"Let me get this..You were trying to vanish..? Yourself..?" Hermione stated. "I fail to see how that's not suicid.."

"Iz NOT." Ed stated. "Iz clear in equations..Hard to..um..vas sculpted space..um.. shaped space.." Ed made a little disgusted noise in his throat. "Ah..IZ all goink to be too MUGG..."

"So that really IS the place where you.."

"Yeah. Vas not supposed to do daat. And I do not know fukken vhy it did..."

"Oy! I know you're angry, but do me the favor of not taking it out on me, alright?" Hermione interrupted. Ed scowled, and looked digustedly back at the library doors.

"Listen.. There's nothing we can ..

"I can do plenty. Starting vith punch to Toad's face vith my right." Ed punched the wall with his right, then leaned on it as the chips clattered to the ground, and muttered "Fukk..."

"Ed! That's hardly going to help!"

"Vill help me feel much much better." Ed glanced to his metal knuckles as he flexed the fingers one by one on the wall.

"Come on." Hermione said. "Maybe..maybe Dumbledore can..."

"Do not be bringing him in on dis." Ed said. "I VILL NOT be owing him a DAMN ting..!"

"Look. It's the end of term." Hermione said softly. "I'm headed to ..um..London... for the holidays. I was wondering if you had.."

"I VAS planning on being in library for all daat time." Ed said bitterly, trying, with all his might, to burn a hole in the doors with his considerable glare. The doors, thus far, withstood the onslaught quite well.

"Well..how about.." Hermione said. "...Wait a.. You..You've no one to spend Christmas with..?"

"You say it like iz important." Ed said as he looked back to Hermione. "Iz vizard ting, yes?"

"What? You mean..you don't know..?" Hermione said. "H-how..How can anyone not have heard of..?"

"Vorld is big place, 'Ione." Ed offhandedly, and glared again at the doors. "Tch..."

* * *

Ed was dressed in a long coat, beneath which were several layers of clothes which didn't seem to do a thing for him now that winter was in full swing, and he was forced to stand in the snow. He felt as frozen as a human popsicle and his teeth chattered as he waited impatiently for the 'something' Hermione said she was summoning.

BANG!! Ed jumped at the sudden sound..so much like an explosion of metal.

"Vhat de shit..?" Ed said softly as he looked at apparent opening of a folding door. Suspended in the space before him, was the driver, an old geezer of a man with owlishly large eyes thanks to his thick glasses. He was apparently sitting behind the wheel of some sort of vehicle that Ed couldn't see the outside of, glaring down at him rather expectantly.

Hermione lowered her wand and took a firm hold of his left. Then took a step forward towards the few stairs the led up into the interior. Ed, still blinking at the strange sight, was nearly pulled along at first, but then followed with a limp that favored his left. His knapsack, stuffed with all his belongings from the dorm, was held firmly with his right against his back.

He was half expecting a mental assault of some sort, but was pleasantly surprised to find absolutely none as he climbed inside the nothing. He ginned widely at the man behind the wheel, and freed his left from Hermione's grasp to dutifully reach for his fare as he read the posted sign.

A tall thin, pimply youth in a purple uniform grinned, reached out a fingerless-gloved hand from behind the driver, and said rather proudly, "'ello Welcome aboard the Knight Bus. I'm the conductor. Stan Shunpike."

"Edvard Elric." Ed replied as he plunked his fare into the container, and narrowed his eyes at the outstretched hand, then looked about. ".....nice..Vaat is vord..." He commented, as he noticed it hardly resembled a bus on the inside. There were quite a few full sized beds where the seats should be as far as he knew. He also noticed that most of the beds were occupied. "..vRoomy.."

"Huh. Where ya 'eaded?" the man behind the wheel said.

Ed took a breath..after a quick calculation that told him the inside was nearly as big as several freight cars strapped together.

"London." He heard Hermione say as she took a seat in a rather overstuffed armchair. He nodded to Stan, and flopped down into a seat himself after plunking down his pack at his feet. Stan looked the bag over.

"'andle your bag, sir?"

Ed immediately narrowed his eyes.

"Part o' the service. 'ere. Sir."

"I am not believing you can." Ed stated as he peeked out the window past the curtain and absently rubbed at an ache in his right port. The snow they trampled through was rather deep, and he saw it was finally snowing.

The man lowered his outstretched hand with an annoyed expression on his face, as the bus lurched into motion. BANG!

"You ok?" Hermione said softly as her hands clawed into the chair arms. Ed's bag at his feet had slid forward just slightly from the sudden jarring motion.

"Just pee-ch - ee." Ed said with a grin plastered on his face as he looked over at her. His own hands clawed into his chair arms was well. The right was dangerously close to breaking the wood beneath it, and he carefully eased up his grip.

"You know. You are a TERRIBLE liar." Hermione said just as softly, and Ed looked sharply at her. Gold eyes met brown.

"Am not lying." Ed grumbled.

BANG! The bus lurched forward.

Hermione lowered her brows, blushed and looked away as the lurching bus settled. There was silence for several moments, and Ed peeked out the window once again at the passing scenery. It was so very dark outside..he could barely make out much of anything in the shadows.

"Ed..about Luna.." Hermione said.

"Vaat about her?" Ed said absently, fascinated with what he could see outside.

"Well..just that..um..the looks you give her..um." Hermione stammered. Ed eased his eyes back inside and looked at her. He hoped his face was stony as she glanced quickly at him. "Well..they're rather more than just what one would give..say.. a friend. Much less someone you barely talk to."

Ed looked back outside. Bang! Another lurch.

"I am very avare of daat." Ed said. He flicked the curtain closed and looked hard at Hermione.

"Knew it. You do know her from somewh.."

"No. Just somevone she happens to look like." Ed said.

Hermione's face scrunched in confusion.

"Has she a twin sister..?" BANG!

Ed shrugged as he reached for his sliding bag and pulled it back, then peeked out the window once again. He noticed that Hermione's eyes watched him very very closely. The bus jerked to a stop at a dark, well lit street that looked 'London-ish' to Ed. He recognised nothing.

"Well..?" Hermione said.

"Vell vhat?"

"Can you at least tell me about this person?"

"Vhy?" Ed said.

"Obviously. She's important to you." Hermione said. "It's something about you that none of us heard before."

"Vaat iz ze point in daat." Ed said, watching a rather disheveled witch disembark with a hand bag clutched tightly to her chest. "She's vorld avay from you people." The door squeaked closed, and the ancient driver adjusted his grip on the wheel.

BANG! The bus lurched once more.

"Oh..so she's a Muggle!" Hermione said as she closed her eyes tight against the lurching motion, "No..no..she has to be squib if she's Luna's twin!"

Ed rolled his eyes and made sure he kept his face stony as he peeked out the window. Automail fingers tapping against the strained wood beneath his overstuffed chair as he tried his best NOT to recall or share a thing about Winry Rockbell, the maker of his limbs.

The bus jerked to a stop once again, and Ed widened his eyes, amazed. And relieved.

This was their stop.

Moments later, Ed was stepping off of apparently nothing back onto the solid ground. When he glanced behind him, he watched the door fold closed, leaving nothing of a vehicle to see behind him.

There was another loud BANG!

Ed made sure he didn't jump at the sound. Instead, he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his gloved left as he limped along after Hermione, knapsack held in place over his back with his right. Just. Waiting for his stomach to catch up with him, and hoping he didn't have to empty it once it arrived.

* * *

"I can take de stoOopid ting off now." Ed demanded, fumbling with the blindfold with the frozen fingers of his left and limping along as his guide at his living elbow moved him through the place. "I can tell ve are inside."

The screaming of a certain woman told him that much. "MuDBLOOD! FILTH!! MUGGLES IN MY NOBLE HOUSE!!!"

Something smacked against his gloved right and jarred it away from the blindfold again, and he heard a hiss of pain from someone on his right. His bag whisked away from his back once he passed what felt to be the doorway as he bumped into the solid wood with his living shoulder. He was maneuvered about and gently pushed backwards..

"oh for heaven's sake..!" Ed heard Mrs. Weasley exclaim.

He felt warmth at his back, and by the crackling he knew it to be a fire.

"Sit down first." Remus's voice said gently, and someone's hands took a firm hold of his living arm and guided him down. "We have a few questions for you."

Ed felt what had to be warm bricks beneath his gloved hand and eased himself down, briefly closing his eyes in relief as he again fiddled with the blindfold with both hands. No one smacked his hands away this time. He saw Remus, and the pile of rags he knew to be Fletcher on either side of him. There was Sirius at the table. Tonks. And Moody, with his electric blue eye whirling about as he regarded him with his dark. He didn't see Hermione at all in the room.

He heard his own teeth chattering in his skull, and slowly the feeling came back into his remaining living fingers. At the moment, it was a vague burning sensation at the tips. He resisted the urge to rub at his ache in his left leg. And right port.

"How are you?" Remus began as he sat down in a chair.

"I am vell." Ed stated. "Vhat of Mr. Weas..?"

"We are concerned. Very concerned, Mr. Elric." Remus said.

Ed scrunched his face in confusion as he looked hard at the kind eyed man.

"You have no idea how worried we all are over that recent stunt you did." he continued. "It certainly had all the hallmarks of.."

"Did you or did you not try to kill yourself?" Moody stated bluntly.

"No." Ed stated flatly. "Alvright?"

"No.." Sirius said. "I opened some of them, but you..you left me with the task of mailing out what amounted to good-byes."

Ed turned his glare to Sirius.

"Stupidly, I only did so after you pulled the stunt of yours off."

"I did not..tsssht." Ed ground his teeth to get them to stop chattering.

"It was then that we discovered how..how isolated you've made yourself. Even before you were brought here."

"Vas..did you.."

"We..managed some digging into the Muggle side of things." Remus said gently.

"Found some interesting facts about you." Moody growled. "Seems that, beyond nine months ago, there's not a trace of an Edward Elric in England at all."

"So." Ed said between chattering teeth. "I only..vvr... arrived here nine months ago."

"Not even a ticket for a train. Nor boat. Nor or plane." Moody said. "What did you do? Walk here from wherever you're from?"

Ed glared at the man, clenching his chattering teeth.

"Oh. We did find one record of Edward Elric. A death record. He died not far from here in what the Muggle then called a whimpcrash of some sort. Back in 1927." Moody growled. "Now the question is..Who are you really?"

"I told you who I am." Ed said steadily as he rose to his feet. "If I am no longer velcome here, den I vill go."

"No! No." Sirius said, and patted the air before him. "No one said you weren't welcome in my house. We were simply..concerned about you.."

"If you want to be know as Edward Elric, that's fine with me." Remus said. "With all of us. It's an extreme thing for someone to cut all ties to their previous life..as you have. Whatever happened in your past.. however painful.."

Ed swallowed and looked away.

"..Don't feel that you're all alone."

Ed nodded, then looked at all their faces. Such concern and worry..all except Moody. He looked, if anything, skeptical. Even suspicious with his narrowed eye.

Ed sat down by the fire and looked to the ground.

Feeling more alone than ever.


	50. Torn

A/N: It's a little slower writing by hand, but it does help with coming up with plot ideas. I had a jolt of inspiration after downing waaaay too much soda. I hope it works.

Thanks for the reviews!

Enjoy!

* * *

Ed leaned his elbows on his knees as he sat on the hearth, and looked to the concerned faces about the table. He closed his eyes against the dream world and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his gloved left hand.

Although it irked him, he could hardly blame them for looking into his background -- had their positions been reversed he would have done the same. Wizard or not, this was supposed to be a safe house.

Ed looked hard at Sirius as he brought his left to his knee.

"Answer me dis question: Did you really kill dose people like dat newspaper says you did?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows and took a breath.

"Don't answer that." Moody growled. "Order business."

Ed leaned back with a snort, straightening his warming back with a few pops beneath the many layers of clothes.

"I vill be blunt." Ed said flatly. "What you are vreally vanting is for me to keep quiet about Sirius, a convicted murderer of 13 people, hiding out here; and in exchange, you vill ALLOW. Me. To keep my past secret. Daat de deal?"

"Well, uh.. we really are concerned about you.. but uh, yes..." Remus said as he pulled up a seat nearby. "That is..uh..the general idea."

"Dere is problem. One:" Ed stated. "I don't tink Sirius killed anybody."

"Huh." Alestor narrowed his eye, and leaned back into his chair. Alestor is his name, Ed reminded himself. The electric blue one whirled even faster about in its socket. "Why would you say that, boy?"

Ed scowled at the diminutive word, then looked at Sirius, and tilted his head.

"I've known many people who have." Ed growled leaned his elbows back onto his knees. "Inkludink myzelf." Ed added, swallowing back his bile.

Fletcher, standing beside him, shifted uncomfortably. Ed heard whispered muttering from the table. Alestor looked hard at him, silently scowling in something like disgust. Tonks whispered to Sirius, and both looked at him with a mix of worry and something like pity.

"Sirius.. doesn't have dhat kind of veight to his eyes." Ed glanced and saw Sirius look at him with surprise. Ed settled his gaze onto the scowling Alestor.

"Problem number two: I am exactly who I say I am: Edvard Elric."

There was a noncommital noise, most like a grunt, from Alestor.

"Edward Elric died in 1927." Alestor said just as flatly.

"Maybe. You have it vrong." Ed said in return, and ignored the twinge of guilt that lingered deep in his gut.

He might have imagined it, but he saw a slight nod to Alestor's head.

"I highly doubt that, Muggle." Alestor said.

"Moody!" Tonks said. "There's no need to be.."

"Tell me how Mr. Veasley is." Ed interrupted, shifting his eyes from the questions he saw in the eyes at the table to the floor again. "I heard he vas attacked?"

"Arthur's stable." Mrs. Weasley said as she entered from the kitchen. "Honestly. This isn't supposed to be some sort of enemy interrogation. Give him space, you lot. Hardly the way to treat a friend!"

The mound of rags that was Fletcher, made a sort of grumbling relieved noise and hurriedly left Ed's side. He moved to the far corner of the table.

The room was filled with the sounds of uncomfortable coughs and chair legs scraping against the ground as the sitters scooted themselves back.

Alestor snorted in disgust, and turned about.

That was when Ed noticed his left hand quivering on his thigh. He flexed his fingers and blew on them as if to warm them, though, in truth, they were quite warm now thanks to the fire at his back.

Moments later, he found himself enveloped in a hug. By the red hair in his face..he guessed it was Mrs. Weasley. He winced as he felt her hand brushing against a wound at his back. She adjusted automatically and moved it gently in small, somehow soothing, circles.

"Happy Holidays." She said softly. "And welcome back."

He tentatively reached around her arm with his still shaking left, and patted her shoulder. Eyes widened in surprise.

He saw that Remus still watched him closely, concern plastered on his face, having not moved from the chair he had set down by the hearth.

* * *

Harry laid his head on his pillow, immensely relieved he was NOT the weapon that was so desperately sought by Voldemort. The timely arrival of Hermione earlier that night, and the talk with Ron and Ginny that followed firmly established that comforting knowledge in his heart. It was such a warm, wonderful feeling, he expected to sleep soundly at last.

He was drifting off..very nearly asleep.

THUMP! BANG!

CRASH! THUMP!

Harry blinked blearily, and lifted his head just as another THUMP! occurred. followed by a panicked sort of muttering. It was across the room...right where...

'Ed..?'

Harry reached for his glasses and perched them awkwardly on his nose as he shoved the covers back and sat up. A look to Ron, and he saw he too was blearily wiping his eyes.

CRASH! And more panicked muttering.

Harry grabbed his wand and whispered "Lumos". The tip lit up. Ed's bed was entirely vacant.

"Ed..?"

THUMP! Harry saw the bed itself suddenly jerk upwards, and heard panicked breathing from Ed's side of the room. Harry creeped over slowly. The bed jerked upwards again just as he rounded the corner. By the light of the wand, Harry saw Ed nearly entirely under the bed, breathing rather quickly, tangled in the mass of quilts ..Golden eyes open wide and unfocused and darting about at everything.

"Ed..? Are you..?"

"Get out..! Fire..!!" Ed gasped in a high squeak, and pushed himself further back suddenly; the act jerked the bed upwards. It also revealed his mismatched hands from beneath the blankets. Eds darting unfocused gaze settled on them.

His breathing slowed as he lifted them, then brought them together, looking for but a moment as if he were praying.

Harry immediately pointed his wand, and said "Ennervate!"

Ed pushed himself back, jerking the bed upwards one last time, blinked blearily about, golden eyes now focused. Awake. Hands still held so very close together.

"Ed...?"

"SHHIIT!" Ed spat, and looked at Harry, then all around him. He abruptly lowered his hands and began furiously extracting himself from under the bed in a sort of panic that Harry made sure he stayed well away from.

Before he knew it, he had backed into his own bed.

The sound of Ed's panicked breathing filled the room.

"Just a dream mate. G'back to bed." Ron said sleepily as Ed finally stood up and looked about. With those words, Ed looked to Ron and sat heavily onto the bed. Then, Harry assumed he reached for the quilts on the floor.

"Some dream." Harry said softly, half wondering if Ed's 'magic' would even work while he was asleep. He then climbed into bed himself.

Moments later, he heard hurried, uneven footsteps and the creaking thump! of the door.

"Nutter." Ron said sleepily, and rolled himself back under his covers.

Harry slipped by Ron and out into the hall. He heard the groan of the ancient pipes coming to life, followed closely by the sound of running water from the bath. He made his way, only to see Lupin knocking at the door.

There was no indication that Ed had heard the knock. Not a word.

"Ed..?" Lupin called. "Are you alright in there?"

No answer. Harry wasn't entirely sure Ed could hear over the water. Harry walked up to the door himself, and, with a glance to Lupin, called out.

"Ed. Answer us will you?"

"Not killing myself, ok?" Ed's voice sounded rough, and bitter.

"Go on to bed now, Har..." Lupin said.

"Fuck!" Ed's voice interrupted.

The doorknob jiggled, and the bathroom door swung a bit inwards --freeing a great cloud of steam. In the dim light offered by his wand, Harry saw a pair of golden eyes just beyond the widening crack.

"I could use help." Ed growled, his nose wrinkled slightly. Then he swung the door open wider. Ed had a towel wrapped about his middle, and was holding it in place with his left hand on his chest. Harry widened his eyes in alarm as he noticed that the towel was nearly soaked through in several places with what looked to be blood.

"Merlin's beard..!" Lupin exclaimed. "What.."

"Had nightmare." Ed said. "Tore trew vhat skin vas left on burns. Just need new bandages, and I can not vrap very vell vith vone hand."

* * *

Ed looked at the two in the hall. Harry grimmaced as he held his wand aloft. Remus had a decidedly worried look on his face. Ed was very much aware that his false left leg was visible, as the only real clothing he had on were his boxers. Both of his would be rescuers' eyes were drawn to the shining metal leg like a magnet.

"VELL?!?" Ed stated, and adjusted his hand to apply more pressure to the troublesome wound on his chest, not entirely sure about the ones on his back, carefully focusing past how dizzy he was feeling.

Remus snapped his eyes back to the wound.

"Sit down over there." Lupin said, and gestured vaguely towards where Ed knew the toilet seat was. "I need to take a look."

Ed grudgingly did so.

"Move your hand." Remus said. Ed frowned, but complied. Remus lifted the towel slightly, and looked literally over his head, looking down at his front and back. Ed pushed the encroaching dizziness back. Remus crouched down and looked him in the eye with the strangest expression on his face.

"Burns...wherever did you get.." Remus said with narrowed eyes. Ed focused more on sitting, jerked up his head, not sure what the question was at all.

"It was a month ago." Harry said. "He fell from this big thing he made in the sky. I caught him, but he still had these..said it was a reshoted.."

"vRebound." Ed said dully. "Alchemical. vRebound. From bad calculation."

Remus face turned into that concerned mixed with pity thing.

"We're going to St. Mungo's."

"No. No hospitals." Ed said with a scowl.

"No arguments, Edward. We're going, and that's..!" Remus said.

"Dey vill not be able to help.." Ed said. "And.."

"Harry, will you grab his coat from the room, for me?" Remus said.

"But.." Ed said weakly as he saw Harry turn about and nearly run out the door.

"Come on." Remus said, "As bad off as you are, well likely have to.."

Ed saw black stars creep into his vision, and the crazy dream world tilted merrily askew.

The next thing Ed was aware of was the white ceiling flowing past overhead. The place was filled with chattering voices. He lifted his heavy head, intending to sit up, only to have a hand cover his forehead and gently push him back against whatever he was laying on. Then, he noticed the hum deep in his chest, and widened his eyes. He tried to arch his back to wiggle away, but found his body so heavy that he couldn't move much at all.

"No doubt about it...Magical residue. Go to Spell Damage on the Fourth Floor, sir." A female voice, one that Ed vaguely recognised.

"Thank you." Remus's voice said to his side. Ed blearily slid his eyes over to the man. He had a marvelous view of Remus's nostrils and chin. Ed tried to move again.

"Easy...!" Remus said, and the hum faded beyond Ed's awareness.

"Sensitive one, is he?" The female said. Ed ignored her and looked to Remus.

"V-vhere am.." Ed croaked out. It felt like his voice was detached from his lungs.

"St. Mungo's" Remus stated as he looked down at him. "It's alright."

"No." Ed croaked, and tried moving again. "No. Hospitals."

He saw the ceiling moving again above him, and soon enough, he was beneath what looked to be a door jam. Red lights flashed. And a piercing sort of noise assaulted his ears. He squinted his eyes shut, opened his mouth in a gasp, and tried his best to roll up in a ball to hold his skull in one piece. As suddenly as it began, it just stopped. He cracked his eyes open and breathed in and out over an over, trying to find his way past the ringing in his head.

A woman came into his view, and bent over him. She wore a lime green sort of robe that he knew belonged to the wizard kind of people.

"Huh. Eyes like that and he's a Muggle?" she said softly, her voice matching the female voice he had heard. "Shame. There's a Muggle room on that same level, but you'll have to fill out a report when you get there, sir."

"I..uh..understand." Ed heard Remus say, sounding so very distant.

Ed then felt another hum, deep in his chest, and grit his teeth, knowing well he couldn't move his heavy body to avoid it.

"Stupify." Said the witch in lime green.


	51. Healers Cage

A/N: So it's delayed a bit. And..it's shorter. I also moved the story along, as well as making something of a point. Alas, I think its best to end the chappy here before things get too confusing... Mostly Ed's POV anyway.

I don't want to loose my readers, afterall. Thanks for the reviews!

* * *

Harry stared at the dents across the table as he picked at his food. He glanced to Ron, who chewed his bread with deliberate slowness, then watched Hermione twirl her fork through the mashed potatoes on her plate. Across from him sat Sirius ..who silently watched as he maneuvered a pea out of his view.

It had been nearly a day already since Lupin had rushed out down the stairs with Ed draped in his arms, and Harry had shared what he knew with Ron that night, and Hermione in the morning. Then, soon enough, the news had spread across the rest in the house.

He heard the door to the kitchen open, and his stomach sank into an icy pit as he watched how slowly Lupin moved. The sickly looking former professor looked even more pale than usual, and there were definite puffy bags beneath his kind, rather bloodshot eyes.

Lupin looked at Harry with a rather sorrowful expression, and took a breath.

"He's alive. " Lupin said as he turned to hang his coat.

"How could you ..You know he's.. what he is..! A-and at 's.." Hermione said. "They'll take away.. us.. Hogwarts.. everything.."

Lupin tiredly raised his hand and patted the air.

"I know, believe me." he said. "I fear there was little choice."

"'Ione." Harry said softly. "You didn't see.."

"Just. Feels like we're losing a friend." Hermione said as she fiddled some more with her potatoes.

"Yeah." Harry said and looked down a moment.

"Well for..." Mrs. Weasley said, face full of worry as she gave them all a brave little smile. She settled down before her plate at the end of the table. "I'm sure it'll all work out...After all, they are caring for Arthur there."

* * *

Ed awoke laying flat on his back. Shivering slightly. All over. Then there was the pain from his burns.. stoOopidly ripped opened burns..

Pain, cold, and various aches aside, the first thing Ed was aware of was the smell. That alone told him loads, and he didn't have of open his eyes to figure out where he was. From experience, he knew hospitals all have that distinctive reek to them.

The second thing he noticed was how very very quiet it was. None of those beeping noises or the whirlings of "blood machines" or the other various noises of things he didn't know off hand just what they were supposed to do in here.

He heard someone snoring. Loudly. Hard to tell just how far away.

There were also footsteps, and a too familiar scribbling sound, like writing on a clipboard.

Then, he felt the pressure of a hand that made him wince as it brushed against the wound on his chest.

"Good. Good." A rather deep female voice said nearby. "Now we can get some answers."

"What he needs is rest, ma'am." A young man's voice said, which sounded like it was right next him. "These wounds.."

"And we need to determine what happened to manage his proper..uh..treatments.. The fellow that brought him in wasn't all that helpful." The deep voiced woman cleared her throat. "Now...sweetie.."

"I have a name, voman." Ed said as he cracked his eyes open. The room was lit rather strangely..something like candle light.

"...Dearling," the low voiced woman said in a soothing tone one would use for a two year old. Ed wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I would rather appreciate it if you would...tell us what happened to you."

Ed glared at the woman as he shivered. She was a rather dumpy type, gray hair woven in a bun, and wearing a dark green robe. It was she that carried the clipboard.

"Fukking freezing in here." Ed grumbled in Amestrian and looked down at himself. He saw a mess of bandages on his front.. quite a few of which looked to be soaked through with fluid. He was in only his boxers, and there was not a blanket or even a sheet in sight. Then, he felt a hum deep in his chest.

"Um..ma'am..I believe he's too injured..to um..be questioned right now." Ed glanced at him quickly, saw brown eyes, brown hair, and the same lime green sort of robe he saw earlier on that woman somewhere downstairs.

Ed widened his eyes and watched as 'brownie' waved his wand over him. He made something of an effort to sit himself up, but only managed to his elbows before the pain made him stop and gasp.

"Hold it..Don't move too much..we only just now stopped the bleeding..." The young man said with splayed hand held over Ed's chest.

"Maybe a jinx....?" the young man said softly. "..lots of residue..hard to tell for sure."

"No..iz..iz my prosthetics ..All steel.." Ed said between his chattering teeth. 'Brownie' narrowed his eyes as he looked at him, then to the exposed metal arm bolted to his shoulder.

Ed narrowed his eyes and in an offended tone, continued loudly. "Vaat..?! You did not tink I vould be kold in vroom like dis..?!"

"Don't interfere with my duties, healer-trainee..." The woman interrupted imperiously. "Besides, it feels perfectly fine in here.."

Ed instantly disliked the woman, and his continued shivering caused the plates on his right to jingle musically.. an effect that nicely drowned out the woman's voice.

"For you and me.. even that poor Muggle snoring over there... Accio blankets.."

Ed watched, unsurprised by now, as blankets flew from the cupboards by the door and draped over him up to his chest. He glanced to 'brownie' as the young man glared at 'dumpy'.

"...And I won't interfere with your duties, madam, so long as you don't interfere with mine."

"You are making this much harder for me than you.." 'Dumpy' looked at Ed in astonishment. "wait..did he..just. Now hold on.. He his far too familiar with magic to be..."

"Who de fukk are you..?" Ed said, in careful English, as he switched his glare between the two.

"..And...Those eyes..." She said softly, ignoring Ed's words entirely. "Although it certainly wouldn't be the first time a squib was sent in here by someone's fortunate mistake ..I'll check up front before I proceed." She glanced to 'brownie' and strode off out the door. Ed snorted at her departure, very much unimpressed.

"You do not know how to care for my needs, den I must go somevhere dhat does." Ed said as he looked at 'brownie'. "Vhere de shit are my clothes..?"

"M-my..apologies...Mr. um..Elric, is it? You really should stay here. We are professionals here at St Mungo's." 'Brownie' said while patting the air. "It's simply that we haven't ever had a case quite like yours. Even my master hasn't seen a leg like that in all the years he has been a master healer, much less that arm. Um.. are they truly Muggle made?"

Ed snuggled down into the warmth offered by the blankets.

"Iz obvious. Have goot mechanic should I have need of repairink." Ed made as though he thought a moment. "Come to tink of it.. I do need some tuning up."

"Tooning up..? Whatever is..."

Ed sighed an exasperated sigh.

"Dere iz a phone here, vright?"

"Um.. a..foon? What's a ..oh..wait...Right. I'll be right back with one.."

Ed waited until 'brownie' swung the door shut behind him, then struggled to sit up. He felt a hum briefly and judged it to be from around the door.

'Locking charm.' Ed thought with a glance. 'Has to be.. No way would they let us "poor Muggles" loose in this place.'

He knew he didn't have much time.

Carefully holding the bandage at his chest, he rose to sit up, swung his feet over the side of the bed, and stood. After but a moment, he pulled off a blanket and wrapped it about himself like a cloak.

Walking proved to be a challenge, but he managed a sort of shuffle with all the grace of an old man, accompanied with little dizziness at all.

Balanced equation shining in his mind, he slapped his palms together, and touched the wall by his bed. He released the warming energy, and blue arcs of lighting ran along the wall to the door. In moments it was neatly merged with the wall, as if it had never existed at all.

"Chew on that, you arrogant snots." Ed said in Amestrian.

Ed then shuffled his way to the bed of the other occupant in the room, and eased himself down on the visitor's chair.

Beyond the wall he could hear panicked yelling, but he looked at the snoring man. He appeared to be a large mound of flesh beneath blankets, with multiple chins on what he could see on his pudgy, pale face. There was hardly any hair to speak of on his head, and a rather thick unibrow scrawled across the man's forehead.

"You can stop now." Ed said dryly. "I know you avake."

* * *

"I, for one, want to go for a visit..before they.. do.. anything to him." Harry said. "Today."

"You can't." Moody growled.

"Why not?" Hermione said. "It's not like he's not gone there before or anything..! We'll just need some escorts like last time and.."

"Muggles.. are never allowed visitors." Lupin said and looked down as he swallowed. "I discovered that for myself, just before I left."

"WHAT?!" Harry heard more than just his voice. Hermione, Ron..and even Mrs. Weasley had expressed their outrage. Combined, they had been loud enough to awaken Mrs. Black in the hall.

"Not surprising, really. Basic wizard security measures:" Moody said crisply. "Make as little contact with Muggles as possible."

Harry had to swallow his bile.

"I don't care..!" Harry said vehemently. "He's..!"

"He's fine for now." Lupin said with a raised hand.

"At least,..tell me you're doing..something..for Ed? I know he's not a member of the.." Harry said.

"Dumbledore's orders." Moody muttered breezily, and sipped his butterbeer. "Are for me to keep you safe, Harry. You are not to get involved. Besides, this is strictly Order business. Now."

Harry leaned back into his chair and stared, wide eyed, at the dents in the table.

* * *

"Wha.. huh?" The man said intelligently, as he cracked open a dark..nearly black...eye. "What's my tell, kid..?"

"Pfft. You snore needs much vork. Too nasal." Ed said with a crafty smirk.

"Nice arm. Must've cost a fortune." The man said as he eyed what he could see. Ed snorted, and pulled the blanket closer about himself as he shivered. "You can move it that much? Wow.. that mechanic guy of yours is sure to make a gold mine...!"

"I am getting myself out of here, vright now, and to some vreal care." Ed said as he leveled his gaze at the man. "I vant to know if you trust dese... nize people vith de pointy sticks."

"Not by a brass farthing." The man said instantly "Woke up here after ..well it's going to sound like I'm insane but it really happened..." The man looked over to where the door was supposed to be. "Geez..I really must be blooming crazy...! That door was..!"

"You are NOT crazy." Ed said in a low soft voice. "I did dat to de door to keep dem out, but it vill not last long. Now, do you vant to get out of here, or vhat?"

The man looked wide eyed back at Ed, face full of fear.

"You..you're just like them?!?"

Ed wrinkled his nose.

"No. I am scientist." Ed said flatly. "You are familiar vith advanced particle physics and non-eucleadian forms in crystaline chemistry, yes?"

The fear on the man's face faded somewhat, but Ed saw his eyes were rather glazed over. Ed nodded a small nod.

"Full explanations vill have to vait. We have to get out of..."

"But.. um.. my fingers ...they said they'd regrow them for me..." The man said wistfully as he raised his heavily bandaged hand. Ed frowned as he saw that 3 fingers were missing. "I was hoping ...y'know.."

Ed rubbed the lower portion of his face with his left hand.

"I fully understand if you do not vish to miss out on dis chance...for a full restoration." Ed said. "But you should, at de least, know of de price..."

After Ed hurriedly explained what that would be, the man sat back in thought. Ed glanced to the wall where the door once was. The yelling had died down quite a bit, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Hell of a choice." The man said dully. "I..I'm sorry. I need my hand back. I. I have to stay..." Ed then flicked his eyes back to the man and rose to his feet.

"Vhere is it dat dey placed de toilet?" Ed said.

"Oh..that's just over there.." The man indicated vaguely with a wave.

Ed nodded and, with a heavy heart, shuffled off, blanket wrapped tightly about his still shivering self. Just as he closed the door, he heard several distinctive popping noises just beyond the threshhold.

There was the unmistakable hum deep in his chest...

'Not right ..It's not fair...It's not right...' Ed thought as he glanced to the door. He swallowed his bile.

He was in no shape to fight.. He HAD to honor the man's wishes.

There was a muffled cry of "Obliviate!", and Ed grimmaced, knowing now that the man in the bed would not remember much at all.

Without further hesitation, he slapped his palms together and reached for a wall.. Balanced equation shining in his mind, he released the warming energy as soon as his hand brushed against the tile. Blue lighting arched and a deafening boom followed as the floor opened up before him in a neat circle..the extra matter joined with the door to make a solid wall behind him --just as the door knob rattled to life.

With a quick glance to be sure there was no one below him, he then slapped his hands together once more and had the equation lower him to the room below. Another slap, and the floor sealed itself back up above him.

He then gathered his blanket, turned about and opened the bathroom door. With a smirk and a friendly wave to the room's occupant, and nurse? -- who knew what the lime green robed ones did -- he shuffled his way down the sparsely populated hall.

Wishing all the while, with every pain filled step, that he was fully healed so he could really kick some wizard ass.

"Arrogant fucktards." Ed muttered angrily in Amestrian as he entered the stairwell, kicking the door dully with his left.


	52. No sleeping when hiding in plain sight

A/N: Made it to Christmas Day!! wooot!! Hard chapter to do. But fun none the less.

Debating if there should be an argument over stitches or not. I do thing Ed needs them.

Thanks for the reviews...they do help motivate/remind me when I am going off into OC land. Anyhow...Enjoy!

* * *

Ed jerked his head up as he heard more footsteps approach from down the hall. He glanced behind him just as several people in 'normal' robes passed by, and he forced himself to relax. He leaned his right into the metal bench's back, and set the side of his head against the wall once more.

It was a convenient placement. This bench. One of many set along the hall of the first floor of this..St. Mungo's, and the only one that seemed to be made entirely of metal. Wonderful, comfortably solid metal.

Most wizards passed it by with a certain disdain painted on their face.

'Smells like Al..' Ed thought idly, and felt himself drifting off again. He did need rest, afterall, but he wouldn't allow himself to sleep.

As he sat there, occasionally, lime green robes would rush by. They were followed ever so often with the ones in dark green, all of which looked about in a obvious panic. He often heard whispers about a missing Muggle ..and something about rogue wizards snatching poor helpless Muggles from the ward. The shame!

(Oh how he snickered when he first heard that!)

Any good investigation would surely...

Maybe it was the dizziness, but he couldn't believe the wizards hadn't worked it out just yet.

Surely they couldn't be THAT dense?

Still. He knew he was taking a huge chance, sitting in plain sight like this, even if he was no longer a shambling mound of blankets.

He was dressed in a white robe with a hood, which was up over his head right now. Beneath that, some bluish long pants and a long sleeved tshirt he managed to change from the bright green of the sheets to a vague kind of brown. He even created a pair of gloves, which were white, from the scraps.

The only eyes that had seen him do the hurried calculations were the ones trapped in the framed images that hung along the stair wells. Half of those yelled that he had something highly contagious under his many bloody bandages, and called out ever weirder remedies as he slipped on his created garments with chattering teeth.

(He supposed that, in any other situation, it would have amused him greatly to hear that boiling a salamander alive in rose syrup and then dancing wildly about while naked in the moonlight would do anything remotely useful. )

The problem before him now was a finding a simple way to sneak out of this place. The only exit was down the hall behind him: The doorway with no door. Ed was sure it was the way he had come. Which meant it HAD to be the one that was alarmed.

And.

Not that it mattered much, but the general area over there was stuffed with wizards.

If he choose to go that way, he was sure he'd either have to run or fight his way out, and he knew he was not in any shape to do much of anything. At best he was only able to manage a sort of stumbling course if there was a sturdy wall nearby to support him.

Which meant he had to find another way. And, at the very least, learn exactly WHERE this place WAS.

The most he knew was that he was somewhere in England, and that was just judging by the language. That meant the last thing he wanted was to have to wander about in the snow and ice. He knew he wouldn't even make it ten steps in the kind of cold he was sure was outside. It was plenty cold for him inside this place as it was.

He shivered again and wrapped his arms about himself.

That was the entire reason why he was sitting still--or as close to it as he ever did-- in plain sight in this hall. Listening carefully while he gained some much needed rest at the same time.

More footsteps approached from behind, and he shifted his eyes.

He saw lime green robes. And some dark green ones.

And heard a familiar voice.

"..Then a room to room search if necessary.." Kingsley said. Ed made a quick glance and saw the tell tale robes of the dark skinned man, then carefully looked away as if he were just a teen looking about the hall at random.

"But..but..why? " This voice he knew too well, as it belonged to 'Dumpy'. "It's obvious to any that the boy was apparated out...!"

"Madam.." Tonk's voice. "This is now Auror business. Please allow us the luxury to do our inquiry as we see fit."

"Aurors may outrank mere Obliviators in the Ministry, Miss...Tonks is it?.." 'Dumpy' said. "But in this institution, you are well outside your appointed jurisdiction. The patients' privacy alone...!"

"Unless we are called in for a consultation, which indeed, is what is happening in this case." Kingsley said smoothly. "Now. I recommend that we begin with a good and thorough look at the scene in question..fourth floor you say?"

"Yes..um.."

"This is going to take a few hours..as we will need to examine all of the residue present.." Tonks said with considerable authority in her voice.

"All of the..uh..residue.."

Ed narrowed his eyes as he watched them pass through the doors that lead to the stairs. As soon as the door banged closed, he pushed himself back to his feet. He did not in any way like what he heard at all.

It meant that it was past time he moved, and he was far from ready.

He staggered his way a few steps down the hall, towards the large group of wizards gathered at the doorway, then happened to spot a mass of long red hair as it emerged from another door.

"Gotta go, Dad. Duty calls." What was his name again? "See you tomorrow..."

Ed's mind whirled and settled upon that strange party months back. As the man turned, Ed watched his eyes widen.

"Bill..? Vright?" Ed said as he let go of the wall, and gently lowered his hood. He even smiled in what he hoped was a friendly way.

"Ye-es..?" Bill said and narrowed his eyes as he looked Ed over. Then he turned his head slightly. "Dad? You up for another?"

* * *

"Who?"

"Ed...Uh..I think?"

"Yeah." Ed said with a little nod.

"Ed..? What..!? However did he..?" Mr. Weasley's voice called out. "Uh..sure. I'm up to it."

Ed walked with great care through the door. Mr. Weasley was at the far side of the dingy ward, right by a tiny window. Directly across from him lay a sickly looking man who gazed mournfully at the ceiling. Ed spared a glance to this other occupant before turning his full attention to Mr. Weasley.

The man was wrapped in so many bandages that he resembled a mummy even more than Ed did beneath his clothes. Ed raised an eyebrow.

"You look vell." Ed said, and leaned a hand on the footboard of the bed for support.

"I feel great!" Mr. Weasley said, and looked hard at Ed. "You though..you look ghastly."

"I'm fine." Ed stated flatly. Mr. Weasley narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not about to let you lie to me, son." Mr. Weasley scolded. "You can barely even walk. You are far from being anything close to the word 'fine'."

Ed put both of his hands on the footboard and looked down.

"Well..look. What else am I supposed to.." Mr. Weasley began in a hurried sort of apology.

A sound came from Ed's chest. It was not quite a laugh, but more than a snort.

"It tink dat's the most divrect you have ever been, Mr. Sunshine." Ed said as he glanced to the man.

"Seems to work best with you, now doesn't it?" Mr. Weasley eyed him some more, then waved him to a chair. As Ed eased himself down, Mr. Weasley whispered softly.

"By any chance, did the..um Muggleguards here...Did they do this to you..?"

Ed waved the question off in irritation.

Mr. Weasley let out a breath.

"That's good." Mr. Weasley said in a more normal tone and volume. "I always worry, y'know. 'bout Muggles..Wizards can be so unkind and this recent business with the biting doorknobs and exploding toilets and.."

"Sunshine. Vhat I vant to know is..did you vreally get attacked by giant snake?" Ed said with narrowed eyes.

"Oh..yes." Mr. Weasley said. "I'm fine really. They just can't get the bleeding to stop. YET. There's worse cases than mine." Mr. Weasley pointed quickly and added softly. "Like that poor fellow there ..bitten by a werewolf. No cure."

Ed nodded, but didn't look to the man. Instead he leaned his elbows on his thighs, and took a breath as he looked down.

"Could you describe de snake?"

"Whyever for?"

Ed shrugged, and looked again to Mr. Weasley.

"Can't be dat many big snakes in de vorld. Should be simple ting to identif.."

"It's You-Know-Who's SNAKE, son." Mr. Weasley said incredulously. "I don't expect someone, well, like YOURSELF to.."

Ed glimpsed lime green robes out of the corner of his eye and made sure his face was hidden from the person's view by dipping his head down slightly.

"Ah..time for my treatments." Mr. Weasley said airily, and reached for his wand. Ed rose from the seat just before it vanished from beneath him.

Ed moved off in a sort of stagger and soon found himself across the room. More to steady himself than anything, he reached for the footboard of the sickly-looking man.

Gold eyes met dull brown, and the brown slipped to the side. Ed glanced to the empty bed beside the man.

With Mr. Weasley in the room, Shacklebolt and Tonks searching for who knows how long at each floor...This room very might be the safest he'd have in this place.

Ed glanced back to the newly minted werewolf, and whispered.

"Do not take dis vrong vay, but I vill be taking advantage of your condition for a little vhile." Then jerked his chin to the empty bed. "I have had very long and trying day."

"Knock yourself out." The man said dully. "Not like they'll place anyone so close to me, anyway."

Ed turned and shambled his way onto the mattress.

* * *

He was surrounded by white....

From a distance he heard someone yelling. He didn't recognise the voice.

"Oy! ...Oy Over here! His..his back's all bloody! Healer! Over here!"

A pair of eyes emerged from the haze. They were not purple. Nor filled with hatred. Human. They were very human.

"Burning up.." The eyes faded back into whiteness. Ed looked around for them in the formlessness about him.

The white faded again..revealing lime green. Lime green.

It meant something he should do something about, but he couldn't recall what. He lifted his heavy hand in an attempt to bat it away. Then..he felt a hum in his chest. He looked down at the peculiar feeling..and furrowed his brow..trying to place its meaning.

"Diffindo." He heard gasps of surprise, and felt icy cold. He tried to pull up his legs and wrap his arms about himself. Then discovered they were heavier than ever. He glanced at his left and saw a hands made of whiteness holding his forearm in a firm grasp.

"That..that arm's not real..? Amazing...Bandages...so many.."

"Yes..freshly done..by the looks. He's a patient..?"

"..."

"...."

"Master..?"

"Those eyes...hmm...and these limbs.."

"..."

"...."

"I believe we've found our missing Muggle."

"Then we have to take him back.."

Ed turned his head at that word.

His tongue felt three times too big for his mouth, and four times as hard to move.

"Baak" Ed said. "Baak vhere?"

"Yes sweetie. Back to the fourth floor where you belong.." Said a sugary voice that made Ed wrinkle his nose in disgust as his eyes tracked about the nothingness. He knew what the room meant..the meaning rang through him without a need for him to search for it.

"no." Ed said, and wriggled and jerked his too heavy limbs. "No." Another jerk..it seemed to upset the whiteness and make loud noises.

"Hold it." He felt another hum, and he arched his back, jerking his limbs again.

"My. Head." Ed growled. "Iz my. Head." He glared all about the nothingness and jerked his limbs again. More noise.

"Petrificus Totalus!!"

Whiteness entangled him, wrapping about his limbs, chest, and even about his neck. The only thing he could do was breathe. He did so, ever more rapidly and rolled his widened eyes blindly about as another hum rose in his chest.

"NO!!" He screamed, and lashed out with everything he could.

He heard a meaty crunch as he suddenly found his right arm moving freely.

The hum vanished, and the whiteness released its confining hold over the rest of him.

He looked about the nothing in confusion.

* * *

Ed awoke with a jerk..panting..

There were green curtains drawn around him. He saw red and green floating bubbles at the ceiling, within which were bundles of flickering candles.

He lifted his left hand and rubbed his eyes, then noticed it was bare. He then lifted his head from the pillow and looked down at himself. His right arm was just as bare as his left, and gleamed in the candlelight. A great pile of lime green hospital sheets was drawn up to his chest.

"He's awake now." He heard Mr. Weasley call from across the room.

"All the way awake...or are his eyes just open..?" Called back a timid sounding voice.

"He's awake." Called a dull voice nearby. Ed turned his head and saw the dull brown eyes of the newly werewolfed man in the bed next to him.

He narrowed his own eyes and lifted up the many sheets. He beheld a mass of bandages wrapped about him that rivaled those on Mr. Weasley in volume, and raised his brows in mild amusement. He then lunged to sit up.

"Don't." Wolfie said.

"Not staying..."

"Fine. Move and die quick." Wolfie snapped. "Or don't and die later. It doesn't matter much to me...Muggle."

At that word, Ed froze and looked hard at Wolfie, then after a few moments, leveled his glare at Mr. Weasley. Then lunged to sit up once more. Soon..he determined that the bandages were wrapped so thickly that he couldn't move his torso much at all.

"Edward..you really should stop." Mr. Weasley called.

"Shut it." Ed growled, settling for rolling to his side and was beginning to wiggle his way to the edge of the bed. His toes cleared just as the green curtains parted. He could see lime green robes standing there from the corners of his eyes.

"Mr. Elric? Could you...could you..calm down?" Ed glanced up at the timidly voiced man patting the air. "No one's going to hurt you.."

"Bullshit." Ed said mid-wiggle. "You'll.."

"DO. WHAT?" Wolfie said bitterly. "BITE you while you're..say..Asleep? Helpless? You're at St. Mungo's ..! A hospital..!"

"Vizarding. Hospital." Ed snarled as loud as he could muster as he leveled his glare at the werewolf. "And vhat am I? Huh?! You have any idea vaat dey do to people like ME?!? VAAT ITS LIKE?!? THEY DON'T EVEN LET US CHOOSE!!! THEY JUST..COME BY AND... ERASE VHAT DEY VANT!! VHENEVER DEY VANT!!!"

"It's not like that..not at all.." The timid voiced man said.

"DO NOT INSULT ME!!" Ed yelled, and scowled at the man. "I WAS DERE VHEN DHEY DID IT TO MY ROOMMATE UPSTAIRS!! HE DIDN'T KNOW DHAT VAS VHAT DEY VOULD DO IN EXCHANGE FOR DE RESTORING HIS HAND!!!"

"That..will not happen to you." The man said softly.

"AND DAAT MAKES IT ALL VRIGHT!??" Ed yelled ever louder. "TO DO TO ANYBODY ELSE!!??! ANYVONE DIS.. MINISTRY.. PLEASES TO LABEL AS MUGGLE??!!? "

The man calmly patted the air and slowly approached Ed's bedside. Ed immediately brought up his hands and held them close together at his chest. The man in lime green eased himself to the chair beside Ed's bed, and looked curiously at Ed's positioned hands.

For many moments, the only sound was Ed's angry breaths.

The man sighed, and leaned his elbows to his thighs, and looked Ed over from head to toe.

"You're right. It's wrong that we do that, Mr. Elric." The timid voiced man said diplomatically. "But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to ask..."

At those words, Ed inched his hands ever closer together. The man lifted a hand.

"Let me rephrase that." he said. "We have managed to determine that the sort of residue pervading your wounds is quite similar as the trace residue within the venom that is affecting Mr. Weasley over there."

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"We were hoping you would tell us something as to why that would be."

Ed swallowed his bile, and flicked a quick glance to Mr. Weasley. Then he looked hard at the timid voiced man before him.

"What da shit do I get if I do?"


	53. In which there are stitches

A/N: Ok..small bit about stitches... Next chappy Ed should be out of the place...I think. Or.. Maybe he'll tear it apart...

* * *

Ed laid back into the propped up pillows uneasily, and picked at the many bandaged wrapped about his chest. Both hands were slapped away by the timid voiced man sitting beside his bed, and Ed met his glare with one of his own.

"Leave them alone and let the poultice do its work." The man said, voice no longer as timid as it had been at first. Ed scowled and fidgeted, then waited until the man looked away before he picked at them again. The result was much the same when the man turned back, and at that time, Ed opted to fold his arms.

It didn't, in the least, soften his scowl.

"Vill heal faster vith stitches." Ed said as he looked to the ceiling..for something to look at besides lime green anything.

"Stitches? What are those?" A new voice called from beyond the drawn curtains.

"Some crazed Muggle remedy, I suspect." The man at his bedside stated. "Just ignore him, Augustus."

Ed wrinkled his nose and weaved his mismatched fingers together behind his head just as a red globe filled with candles floated into his view.

"So..Are you going to share what you know about the similar residues, Mr. Elric?"

Ed snorted and glanced sidelong at the man.

"I vould be fool if I took anyvone's vord for my safety in dis place. Especially yours."

The man flushed so red about his ears that Ed judged he had managed to sufficiently insult him in return for the slight.

"Muggles..!" The man muttered hotly and rose from the chair to swoosh through the curtains.

A few moments later, a new face popped through the curtains.

"What was it about that 'stitches' thing"?

* * *

Soon after lunch, Ed scooted to the edge of the bed, and stood on his own two feet.

As he made his way past the lime green curtains, he saw that the door to the ward was wide open.

There, standing in plain view, stood none other than Tonks. Short pink hair atop her head, and both her arms folded across her chest as she turned about noticing Ed walking.

Ed found he was quite thankful for the hospital's issued lime green slacks and robe that he had grudgingly put on after the timid voiced man left.

"Wotcher, Ed." She said in greeting with a wink. "Don't do anything drastic, hear?"

Ed narrowed his eyes and entered the bath, closing the door behind him.

'Aurors..watching me now?' Ed thought, and glanced to the mirror. He gingerly picked at the bandages, and revealed one of the worst of his wounds. There on his back, not so neatly done, were the results of the first ever stitches performed by Healer in Training, Mr. Augustus Pye.

"Far from pretty.." Ed said in Amestrisan, "Looks like the skin'll hold, though." He added as he visually assessed the work. He then carefully replaced the bandages, and went about his business.

When he settled himself back in the bed, he heard a heated argument in the hall..something about a Muggle, a broken jaw of a Head Healer, and the broken arm and busted ribs of an obliviator...

He tilted his head to listen and sort the words.. but the voices were soon muffled to nonsense.

He remembered his hazy fever dream, another "floating in the white" one, and wondered if he had managed both himself. He knew he was more than capable, and the dream held such desperate a feeling. He remembered the sensation of the white wrapped about his neck, and rubbed his left at his throat impulsively for a few moments.

With a glance to "Wolfie", his sullen newly werewolf-ed neighbor, he folded his arms and chewed on the web between his forefinger and thumb on his left.

Hoping he didn't manage to kill anyone.

* * *

By the time he realised that this day was a holiday of some sort, Ed had long since emptied the dinner tray of its contents and set it aside. Unlike the other trays of the day, this one did not vanish, but sat on the side table where he had placed it.

He leaned back into the pillows, raised his right hand over his head, and looked at the ceiling though his metal fingers just as a green floating bubble filled with candles passed over him. He was not really paying much attention to what was happening outside the drawn green curtains when he heard something o a cross between a shriek and a snarl. He looked to the source, but the fabric blocked his view quite solidly.

He glimpsed Remus moving past the curtain to his werewolf neighbor, and saw him widen his eyes in surprise when he looked in his direction. Ed simply scowled in return, and scooted off the bed. Remus took a step back as he strode by, and changed direction abruptly, parting the curtain just as Mrs. Weasley clearly said something along the lines of..

"..messing with Muggle remedies.."

Ed stood there, and listened as Mrs. Weasley showed herself to be clearly upset at the whole idea of "Muggle Remedies" and specifically the "stitches" Mr. Weasley had chosen to try that day.

"VHAT!" Ed snarled just as loudly as Mrs. Weasley at that point. "EXACTLY! IS VRONG VITH STITCHES?!?"

"ED-WARD?" Mrs. Weasley gasped, just as loud as before, wide eyed in surprise..and something of relief flashed on her face.

"VELL?!?" Ed yelled, still scowling, only now it was aimed at her instead of his intended target.

She didn't wilt one bit. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He froze in astonishment, anger shocked back, and looked about wide-eyed to the others in the room.

"We..we thought we'd lost you." Hermione said, and advanced to hug him as well. Ron looked sheepishly off to a corner of the room. Harry..he examined his the toe of his shoe after smirking in a relieved way at him.

After a few moments, an a few winces on his part, the huggers disengaged from him. Mrs. Weasley even cupped his cheek for a few seconds.

"You do know us, right?" She said softly, as she ran her eyes over his face.

Ed wrinkled his nose.

"I tink you know dat alvready."

She sniffed once, and nodded. Then let him go. She took a deep breath, and turned about.

"NOW. I WAS SAYING HOW MY HUSBAND COULDN'T POSSIBLY THAT MUCH OF AN IDIOT..."

Ed bristled again at her offense at stitches.

"DERE IS NOTING VRONG VITH STITCHES, VOMAN!! DAMMIT!! VITHOUT DEM, I VOULDN'T EBEN HAVE MY ARM!!" Ed waved at his right clavicle, at the obvious scar just beneath the bolted-on housing. Mrs. Weasley just gave it a quick, and dismissive glance. That was followed by another, somewhat closer look. "OR MY LEG FOR DAT MATTER!!!"

"IF YOU VANT TO BE YELLING AT HIM, FINE." Ed added, even louder now that he had her eyes. "I HAVE HAD MORE DAN ENOUGH VITH STOOPID VIZARDING ATTITUDE TOWARDS MUGGLES TO LAST. ME. A LIFETIME. DO ME DE FAVOR OF KEEPING. US. OUT. OF YOUR MARRIAGE!!!"

He stood there, wrinkled nose and all, panting from his rant. Mrs. Weasley met his eyes, and, without a word or so much as a glance away, grabbed both ends of the lime green curtain and pulled them together.

Shut.

Right in front of his face.

Her own ranting at her husband continued ..right where it had left off.

Once he returned to his bed, Ed folded his arms and shot his scowl at the person truly worthy of his wrath. That man, Remus, happened to be talking softly to 'Wolfie', who actually looked a bit less sullen than usual.

That didn't stop Ed scowling. Not one bit.


	54. In which there is an unexpected gift

A/N:Dammit..been working on this for DAYS and it's still this short...ARRRGH! Maybe I should've added it to the previous chappy. I SOOOOO miss my laptop's portability...! This one's a case of the cuteness plot bunny biting me..!

Ah--some were confused-- So:

WARNING: I do not repeat myself., And, If you haven't figured it out by now, I really hate using flashbacks. If you're wondering what's going on in the last bit here, you WILL have to look up what I have already written. Hint Hint: It involves a coffee shop in a certain Muggle errand arc.

However, I will do an explanation, of sorts, in the coming chapters for those who were surprised at the residue thing.

Anyhow--thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!

* * *

"Residues.." Ed said to no one as he sat in his bed.

With one last scowl shot in Remus' general direction, Ed scooted to the edge of the bed and shrugged his way through the curtain past the still!yelling Mrs. Weasley, and the sheepishly cowering Mr. Weasley in the bed.

He noticed that Harry, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasley children were absent from the room, but did not spare much of a thought to it at all. He himself had cleared rooms with his own rants. Many times, in fact..

Needing a sample for what he had in mind, he smoothly snatched a bit of the soiled bandages from the munching waste basket placed at Mr. Weasley's bedside, and continued purposely on his way.

Once in the bath, he closed the door firmly behind him and tossed the blood soaked cloth to the tile floor. He took a deep breath, and slapped his palms together with a determined frown. A simple balanced equation shined in his mind, and he splayed his fingers as he lifted his arms aloft. With the release of the warming circulating energy, an arching blue bolt flashed in the air before him, producing a simple gust of wind that blew his long unruly bangs out of his face.

His golden eyes never left the soiled cloth on the tile, not even when it glowed and crackled with its own energy in crimson harmony.

His stomach twisted into an icy pit, and he back pedaled to sit heavily on the porcelain throne. He watched the red glow fade, and wiped his chin with his left as he chewed on his lower lip.

A knock sounded on the door, and he glanced to the sound.

"Ed..?" Tonk's voice called and he balled his hands into fists. The right's metal fingers cracking the toilet lid as they folded.

"Yeah..?" Ed answered after a moment, voice sounding much calmer than he felt.

"Just..just checking. You've been in there a while." She said. "And..Uh..you're wanted out here for a moment..."

Ed blinked quickly and took a steadying breath. He swallowed his bile as he tossed the cloth into the bin.

The lime green curtain was open, and he had a clear view to Remus, who smiled at him in a friendly manner. He scowled once more at the man, but reminded himself that the wizard really DID think he was helping by bringing him to this place for treatment.

The concept of "forgiveness" was ever a thing Ed wasn't good at, and he tore his eyes away instead to look upon the nearby Mrs. Weasley. She sat in a chair by his bed with brightly colored packaged box in her lap.

"Go on, you." Tonks said into his ear. Ed glanced to her as her pink hair shifted, disturbingly, just a bit to red.

Ed took another breath before he fisted his hands, firmly reminding himself who she was, and glimpsed the frowning Alestair..or Alestor..whatever..maybe he should think of him as simply "Al".. pacing about in the hall.

The man peered at him with a hard sort of look, and though difficult, Ed forced himself to relax.

* * *

When he sat upon the bed, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione returned in something of a hurried rush. Hermione beemed a wide, pleased smile as the box was placed before him.

"Oh, good. We've just made it." She said, and straightened her sweater.

Ron looked on, as if thoroughly unconcerned at all.

Harry looked straight at him, raised his brows, then sat in a handy chair.

Ed looked at the brightly colored thing before him in utter confusion. Now he could tell there were ribbons wrapped about it, and a something that he supposed was a bow at the top.

"You're supposed to unwrap it, mate." Ron prompted after a few moments had passed.

Ed looked at them, still baffled, but dully began the unwrapping task, carefully not ripping the gaudy paper as he did so.

"..Nutter..." he hear Ron mutter, and the comment was followed by a quick "Ow!" as Hermione jabbed him sharply in the ribs with her elbow.

"Shh!" She hissed, and smiled once more from whatever expression she had when Ed looked up.

"Who doesn't tear the paper!" Ron said in an exasperated whisper, as Ed lifted the lid of the box.

Again..he found himself staring..completely dumbfounded by the box's contents. He reached in both hands and gently lifted the obviously hand-knitted, solid red garment of some sort. Big 'E' in gold, though he wasn't certain if it was the front or the back.

He felt his eyebrows skew as he looked at the one who had given him the thing. He knew Mrs. Weasley could have easily have conjured something up.. but for a wizard like her to have taken the time to hand knit something at all...

Mrs Weasley smiled sweetly at him, and he found himself gripping the garment even tighter.

"Vhy..?" Ed managed thickly past a rather large lump in his throat. "...Iz ..not my birthday... and.. How... my favorite color..?"

He heard someone giggle, and glanced to see both Harry AND Ron cringing beneath the considerable glare Hermione shot their way.

"Sorry.." Harry said with a sidelong glance at Hermione.

"You should see your face, mate." Ron said as he looked to Ed and rubbed injured his ribs. "..like a house-elf. Swear."

"Now..He's only just woken up this morning." Mr. Weasley called from his bed. "He's bound to be confused and not know the date..."

"Alright then. It's Christmas." Hermione said haughtingly as she looked to Ed. "Today's Christmas day, in fact."

Ed scrunched his face in confusion.

"Christ..mast..?" Ed said slowly..tasting the strange word.

"Believe me now?" Hermione said with an emphatic gesture of one hand. "He doesn't know."

"I think he must've gotten obliviated after all.. Honestly. For someone to NOT know about CHRISTMAS?" Ginny said.

"Well. Try it on.." He heard Mrs. Weasley say. "I want to see if I got your size."

Ed did so eagerly, pulling his long loose hair through with just a bit of a wince as the thick bandages pinched in some very raw spots.

The sweater was just a bit big in the arms, but not uncomfortably so. He impulsively rubbed the soft knitting between his thumb and forefinger with his left, as he chewed on his cheek for several moments.

He then looked to Mr. Weasley across the room and met the man's eyes.

"Equivalence demands I repay. Dat vas no snake dat attacked you..." Ed stated with firm authority. He was about to add more but..

"Son..you weren't.." Mr. Weasley said. "It WAS a..!"

"It WAS a snake..I saw it! I..!" Harry blurted out.

"Those wounds are clearly made by an animal..!" Remus said.

..those voices just happened to be the most prominent of the room as they all seemed to speak at once. All of them, outraged in tone. Ed held up his hand, and waited for them all to quiet down for several minutes. Ed frowned as it appeared they got louder instead. He took a breath..

"All right!" Yelled out a chillingly familiar voice from the door. A woman's voice..the one from the fourth floor. "..visiting time's done. Do come by tomorrow!"

"Come on, you lot." Mrs. Weasley said, and Ed watched as, one by one, they shuffled out the door. He shot a passing glance to Tonks, just returning from down the hall, and scowled once more at exiting form of Remus.

"Mrs. Veasley...?" Ed said with a quick glance to her, as she was the last one out. "Tank you." Ed said past a lump forming in his throat.

"You're quite welcome." Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully, with a pleased smile.

* * *

Ed's eyes were closed, but he was certainly not asleep. He could hear the snores of his roommates quite clearly. He cracked his eyes open, and with a quick glance about to ensure he was the only one about, scooted himself out of the hospital bed.

The first thing he tried was the door, and wasn't the least bit surprised to find it locked. He looked over to the sleeping form of Mr. Weasley, and to the only window, but quickly ruled that exit out.

'Besides, there's lots of ice and snow outside.' Ed thought, and quietly slipped into the bath once again. He eased the door shut, only to widen his eyes as he suddenly felt a hum sharply in his chest.

"Lumos." "Al's" voice said behind him, and the place lit up with a weak sort of light. Ed found he held his palms together already, warming energy circulating within, and looked to the man sharply.

"Tell me, boy." "Al" growled without preamble, and narrowed his good eye. "What is it that you think attacked our Mr. Weasley?"

Ed narrowed his eyes, and frowned. Careful balanced equation shining in his mind. "Vhat was your first vords to me."

"Al" scowled.

"'Quiet you.'" He spat, then looked thoughtfully at Ed. "That one, eh?"

"Unless.. magic.." Ed wrinkled his nose at the word. "..can make vone like him... "

"Come again..?"

"Half brother iz ...um.. artificial human. Somevone MADE him." Ed shook his hands out. "Iz..um.. Not a goot idea for me to be doing anything near Mr. Weasley...Dat stuff in his wounds.."

"So I saw." "Al" said, and tapped the side of the container of his spinning electric blue eye. He then folded his arms and looked him over. Ed was quite aware he was still dressed in the lime green hospital garb beneath the bulky red Weasley sweater.

"Al" snorted in amusement.

"I see you decided to check yourself out."

"So. Can't DO anyting in place dat smells of antiseptics and clean sheets!"

"Al" smirked and held out his arm.

"Grab my arm, and hold tight."

Ed folded his arms.

"Vat will I get if I do?"

"This little sheet of paper." "Al" said gruffly, and revealed a folded piece of paper he held hidden between his forefinger and thumb. "A safe place for you to heal ..And.. well ..Welcome to the Order."


	55. The remains of the holidays

A/N: As promised..Ed's going badassed! Least I can do since he's currently kicking god's ass in the Manga:D

I originally meant it to be Snape, but there was no way I could think of for Snape to be stalking Ed that closely. Fortunately.. there is another sneering sort that needs a good beating in the novel.

Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!

* * *

As they pulled up to number 12 Grimmauld place in the car that Harry was fairly certain Mungdungus had acquired through dodgy means, Hermione gasped and widened her eyes in alarm.

"Wait..he said 'Thank you'. Professor Lupin...! Ed said 'thank you..!'" She said frantically. "Someone has to go

back..! I just know he's going to... oh no...!"

"Calm down.." Mrs. Weasley said. "He's gotten manners..that's all.."

"No. You don't understand." Hermione said. "The last time he ever said 'thank you' he..he tried.."

"Bloody hell...kill himself." Ron said, and looked at the road behind them. "'Ione's right. Blighter's going to.."

All anger over the very idea that the snake he was inside wasn't a snake at all vanished, along with, he suspected, the color in his face. He too, looked to the road behind them, and even reached for his wand in his pocket --thinking of summoning his broom.

"Now..none of that. It's quite alright." Mungdungus said. "Order's 'andling it."

Then, Harry remembered his broom was still in the office of one Professor Umbridge, and, regretfully, pocketed his wand once more. His stomach flipped and turned icy as it sunk back into place.

* * *

The twins popped in the room he shared soon after Mrs. Weasley bid he and Ron goodnight, and, as was their custom Hermione and Ginny soon joined them as well. The twins hurriedly shared what they had overheard in the kitchen days ago, on the night that Ed had been whisked to the hospital.

It was something of a relief to finally talk about Ed since they had reached a sort of silent agreement, one that became something like they were all mourning his passing instead of the loss of his memories of them during the past week. As the twins spoke, it was then that Harry realised just how very little he knew about his strange.. well, was he even a friend? Now that Ed couldn't possibly be ..Ed at all?

"Dead in 1927." Harry said, mind whirling with the news. "You're sure..?"

"That's what Moody said."

"Some sort of crash."

"Maybe a time-turner..?" Hermione suggested immediately.

"He's a Muggle, how'd he get one..?" Ron said. "I mean, I can't even get one."

"If your grades were a little better, and you asked Professor McGonagall..!"

"I made Prefect!"

"Would a time-turner even go back that far..?" Ginny asked before the row could really start. Harry looked at her in gratitude, not really wanting to hear another argument from anyone that night.

"I have no idea." Hermione said, and chewed at her lip. "I suppose it's possible, but.."

"Wait, wait..Wasn't he dreaming of fire..?" Ron said. "That night..I could've sworn I heard.. right before he freaked.. then rushed out..."

"Yeah..yeah I heard it, too." Harry said. "He was."

"Wait. How did he lose his limbs..?" Hermione said with narrowed eyes.

"No idea." Harry said. "Never asked."

"What's that got to.." Ron said.

"Well..Muggles tend to lose arms and legs..among other things..in crashes. Alot of them also have fire.. um.. What sort of crash was it?" Hermione asked.

The twins both shrugged their shoulders.

* * *

Harry's mind was so busy, he certainly didn't find much sleep before breakfast. He also wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or angry when he saw Ed sitting bleary-eyed at the breakfast table the next morning. He was still wearing the red sweater that Mrs. Weasley had given him the day before, long blond hair lose and hanging about his pale face ...and even still had the hospital garb on.

One look at the glowering Ron behind him, and he knew how his best friend felt about the whole thing.

Ed waved in their general direction, and yawned hugely as he reached for the pot of coffee.

Before Harry could say a single word, Hermione cheerfully said, "Good to see you!"

Ed nodded, then swigged away, right from the pot. When he lowered it, now empty, he rubbed at his eyes with his left.

"Long night." Ed said. "'Al' brought me here. Not dat I needed help. Vas not someting I vant to repeat anyting soon either. I tink I left my stomach back dere."

"Al..?" Harry said.

"Means Moody." Tonks said from the kitchen, and looked to Ed. "He's too good at apparating to splinch you, you're fine. Honestly. Been long night for the Order, too..." She with the short orange hair looked just as bleary-eyed as she poked her head around a cupboard. "Where's the.. ? Could've sworn there was a new pot of coffee ..Accio."

Ed sniffed, and leaned his chin onto his metal right as empty pot before him floated off to Tonks.

"But..your wounds..?" Hermione said.

"My stitches are holding." Ed said. "Better for me to be here, dan at dat.."

"He snuck out of St. Mungo's." Mrs. Weasley interrupted disapprovingly, carrying trays of what looked to be sandwiches on the tip of her wand. Harry saw she too was rather exhausted looking, with puffy red eyes. "I still don't think it's a good idea..."

"Is...I can not eben call dis ting a var. Vill barely be ..a.. a street fight!"

"Quiet." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I alvready said I do not vish to be a member." Ed stated. "Vat does it matter if I speak about.."

"Not. Now.. These are my children and I will not have anyone ruin their childhood if I can help it."

Ed snorted, and rolled his tired eyes.

"Order..?" Ron said incredulously. "you've been offered to be a member of the Order..?"

"Yeah." Ed said with a dismissive wave of his hand that made Harry narrow his eyes. "Turned Al down."

"..Turned them.. Why would they even offer you that..?" Harry blurted out. "I'm the one Voldemort's after..! Bloody..! Would you stop that..?" Harry said as he saw Ron shudder like he was having convulsions at the mention of the name.

"Who ARE you?" Harry said angrily at Ed as he pounded both fists to the table.

Ed looked hard at Harry, and he felt like the golden orbs were burning right though him. He could even feel his scar flare up painfully under the gaze.

"Edward Elric. Died. In 1927. Who. Are. You!" Harry demanded.

"Harry!" Mrs Weasley said, scandalized. "Wherever did you..!" Ed lifted his hand, and Mrs. Weasley sputtered to a stop.

"So. You know." Ed said.

"Yeah. I do." Harry said. "Now tell me who you are."

Ed closed his eyes a moment. "I dink you of all people can understand if I have no vish to be explaining myself. I really am Edward Elric, Harry."

"Wha--What's that supposed to mean..?" Ron said angrily.

"Exactly vhat you tink it mean." Ed growled as he lunged forward. Harry was half expecting Ed to throw a punch or..or something.. But Ed simply stood up from the table instead. At the door, just before he strode out...

"'Ione, vill you tell me vhere de library is? De Muggle vone?"

"Uh..sure..why?" Hermione said.

"I have tings I need to be doing." Ed said. "May as vell begin dere."

"Um..I'll do better than that." Hermione said with a quick glance to Harry that told him loads as to why she was volunteering. "I'll help."

"Iz only Muggle library. I do not..."

"Look.. you're just from the hospital." Hermione said. "Besides, what are friends for if not this?"

Harry looked to Ron, and saw his ears becoming a steady red as he scowled at Ed's back. Hermione backhanded his arm, managing well without even looking, and Ron reluctantly turned away from Ed altogether.

* * *

It became something of a routine for the pair to leave shortly after breakfast, then return just as dinner was served.

One day blended into the next for Harry, as he couldn't join Ed and Hermione without a considerable wizard guard escort. He was sure by the sort of scowling look Moody gave Ed one morning, that it really wasn't a good idea to ask if he could go along.

Besides, Harry reminded himself, he hardly had much of a favorable thought of Muggle libraries at all. Nope. Not a favorable thought about them at all...

At the least, he knew Ron had to feel much the same, especially after he returned from one trip with them; One in which Harry knew Ron had done out of a fit of pure jealousy. He sat down at the kitchen table with glassy eyes and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Muggle nutters..."

"You won't believe the nonsense they have written down about us. About wizards I mean."

"Is that what he's looking into..?" Harry asked, surprised at the notion.

"Nah. He's usually sitting at a box-looking thing that shows newspapers. Get this -- the pictures don't move at all. I mean. How dull! He has 'Iome pulling story books for 'im. 'Anyting verevolf' he said. Pfft. Hogwarts would be better for that, I reckon."

Harry nodded his agreement and waited for Hermione to return to fill them in, certain she would tell him everything if Ed wouldn't. That night instead of any kind of explanation, Ed simply looked at them all assembled in the shared bedroom and said.

"I still need to meet equivalence for use your books. How 'bout I tell you all little stories from my homeland?"

That too, became a ritual for the remainder of the holiday. Most of what Ed told involved a pair of brothers who traveled the world searching for something.

As he was stuck in the house as well, Harry did his best to cheer up his Godfather, who was increasingly having 'fits of sullens' as the holidays drew to a close. With little other way to manage that great feat, Harry chose to pass the stories along. At the end of each tale, just when he was sure he mussed it up.. Sirius would smile widely at him, and say something like,

"Imagine that. A place Where wizards and Muggles live together. What an imagination." Punctuated well with his bark of a laugh and a happy slap to Harry's shoulder.

* * *

It was the last day of the holiday, and closing time loomed for the library when Ed finally pulled up the very article he was searching for at last. Blazoned in clear black and white, the headline from 1923 read:

"Zeppelin crash claims one"

"Find anything..?" Hermione said behind him.

"Noting important." Ed replied, and quickly flicked off the switch before he smoothly turned to relieve her of her latest pile of books. He glanced at the spines, and quickly sorted them as he walked to the table.

"Dese de oldest you could find..?" Ed said, as he brushed off the considerable dust with a gloved hand.

"Yeah..to be honest, I'm not sure about the ones in Latin."

"Dey're fine." Ed said with a grin before he began reading. It wasn't long before the librarian came by and urged them out, but by then he had finished with most of the pile.

"Um.. why the tales.?" Hermione said as the stepped outside. "What's so useful about.. Mug.. normal.. stories?

"Vhen vresearching, iz best to get more dan vone source." Ed said. "Um ...I have errand to run, could you go on ahead..?"

"But..?"

"Do not vorry, I vill head back as soon as I am done." Ed said with a wide grin, the one he used most often to convince even his brother. "I von't be long."

Hermione looked strangely at him, but with great reluctance, did turn away. Without so much as a glace back to her, he then headed off to his destination.

* * *

The place he had read about in the paper was surprisingly easy to find, as it hadn't changed all that much at all. Only the buildings had changed, really. Most had gotten bigger, or more modern-like with lots of glass windows. Half relying on memory, half on directions from passersby, he soon found the quiet bit of land that had served as something of a safe haven in that long ago attack.

Of course, it helped that the place was still very much a graveyard. He climbed the aged steps up to where he remembered they had gathered to watch the great fire leap from building to building across the river.

Soon enough, he stood before the stone that bared his name. It was in a nearly forgotten area, dimly lit by the few lampposts that dotted the 'green' that was now covered in snow. He couched down, brushed off icy snow off the stone, and traced his living gloved fingers over the carved letters.

If he had to describe his feelings, the only one that came to mind was utter disbelief. Even with the stone set right before him, it felt too unreal. Dreamlike.

He sat back on his heels in the snow, and just stared at the thing. He wasn't sure how long he was like that, but the sudden flash of light right before him startled him back to his feet and instinctually into his fighting stance. In the dim light, there was the glint of metal on a round object--right on top of the grave marker. A silver round object that looked to be a pocket watch.

Ed approached warily, not in the least inclined to touch the thing, and instead gave it a good look. He could see that there was a hexagram and lion of the presidential seal of Amestris engraved on one side. He heard the crunch of footsteps to his left, and immediately slid his eyes and adjusted his stance accordingly.

There, walking ever so calmly, was a tall regal man. Long, loose platinum hair graced his wide shoulders, and he was dressed in fancy dark robes, carrying a cane easily with gloved hands.

"Mr...Elric.. I presume. Lucius Malfoy. You have the acquaintance of my son Draco?"

Ed narrowed his eyes suspiciously. But didn't break his stance. Here was a wizard, after all.

"I am here to offer my sincerest apologies on behalf of my son for his rather - exuberant - actions regarding your personal property. As you can see, it is now returned to you, whole and quite unharmed."

Ed adjusted his stance to the deceptively relaxed version, and eased his arms down as the man approached. He noticed that Malfoy looked down his nose as he looked him over, with something of an air of superiority on his face.

Ed had dressed warmly that morning, donning his usual long sleeved white dress shirt with a vest and gloves. Over that he had on a long brown coat with fur dark on the zippered hood. He had opted to simply tie back his long hair into a pony tail, and of course, his long unruly bangs were certainly as unruly as ever. Simply put, it was obviously a 'Muggle' outfit, and Ed met the man's rather cold gaze with his own in challenge.

He had had quite enough of wizard's attitudes.

"I'll have you know that I have known of this extraordinary fact about your father, and by extention," Malfoy gestured to the grave stone with his cane. "YOU. For quite some time."

"Vhat are you talking about." Ed said calmly.

"There are not that many wizards who stand before their own graves, Mr. Elric, much less do it nearly a century after the fact."

"I tink you are mistaken." Ed said carefully, and turned back towards the gravestone. The then noticed the one next to his.. the name was rather long, covered in a thick layer of ice, but he could make out the letter "H" at the very beginning.

"I amn?" Malfoy spoke in a heavily accented Amestrain. Ed cringed at the mangling. "How oldt bwast yout fadter ...four ank hundtret yarts?"

"My English is better dan your Amestrain, Mr. Malfoy." Ed stated. "I doubt de bastard was as old as you said. Perhaps you mixed up your vords."

Ed then felt a hum in his chest, and widened his eyes.

"Oh..I high doubt that. Imperi..Awk..!"

Ed spun about low, palmed the sludgy ice and let it fly right into Malfoy's face. While the man staggered and wiped at his eyes, Ed ran like mad...

"Bloody..! That's hardly the way to treat your bett... ow!"

..right behind the man, where he used his left to stomp hard on the very vulnerable, and exposed calves. As the man fell, predictably to his knees, Ed smoothly swung his metal right around his throat and latched his left just so to control the pressure. Malfoys hands came up in response, and Ed hissed into his ear.

"Drop de stick. Now."

Malfoy did so.. after Ed squeezed just a little harder, cutting off his air enough to make his face turn a sort of purple-red. Ed then eased the pressure off a bit and hissed again.

"Dat curse..vas de Imperious vone.." Ed said. "Tell me, vhat vas it you vanting me to do..?"

Malfoy choked...several times. It took some moments for Ed to realise the man was actually laughing --around the time he felt another hum vibrating ..deep in his chest.

"Not..Alone.." Malfoy croaked out, and even managed a nasty sort of smile.


	56. The grave battle

A/N: Delayed due to me not only getting a replacement for my poor, dear laptop with the burnt out screen, but also the need of me learning new fangled technology. This chapter is entirely written on a smartphone, and I only hope FF does not mess up the formatting-- as I can't format online on FF with this thing because the browser on this device has issues with some " php includes " scripts, or something. The upload page looks HIDEOUS, too --- EEEEEWWWW!

Onwards to a brave new world, and the real reason why you all are here...  
___________

Ed held his right steady around the larger man's throat as he turned his head and peered into the darkness surrounding him, trying to feel just which direction the "active array" was located. Maddeningly, he saw only the shadows just beyond the light's reach. He decided it impossible to judge, especially with a second one -- faint but there -- eminating from Malfoy's cane in the snow just before him.

Malfoy merrily chortled his amusement and Ed, knowing well just how vulnerable his exposed back really was, adjusted the pressure his arms exerted slightly, and quickly, but certainly not gently, manhandled Malfoy completely about.

Ed hunkered down and took a breath.

"How maneeeiiiii...!" He gasped, then the very world shifted.

His living leg suddenly obeyed a new rule that seemed to declare that the ground was really the sky and he found himself, not only flipped upside down, but lifted aloft in defiance of gravity. The crown of his head just grazed the rough top of his gravestone, and he lost his grip on Malfoy as he instinctually flung his arms wide, trying to regain his suddenly lost sense of balance.

Ed quickly found that he was not the only one dangling in mid-air as though caught by a man-sized rabbit's snare -- an invisible man-sized rabbit snare. He chanced a quick look to his right foot, saw nothing attached, then lunged as well as he could when one of Malfoy's wildly swinging arms came too close to his face.

Ed then heard someone clapping in a slow and deliberate manner.

"Bravo. Well done, Crabbe. " Called a voice to the side, roughly where the clapping had come from. Ed made a quick glance and saw a rather large shadow in the rough shape a man. As the shadow approached, he saw the man, in fact, looked exactly like the Malfoy hanging upside-down with him. "I have to say you do make a barely passable me."

"GET ME DOWN! " Malfoy bellowed.

"Your own fault, the way I see it, stupid." Another voice called. A quick glance revealed much larger dark looming shape.

"Shut it, Goyle! Now let me down!"

"Call yourself a wizard?...Honestly..." The second Malfoy sighed an exasperation, then gracefully lifted his cane and drolly muttered. "Finite."

Ed's companion in the air dropped like a stone...in fact landed ungracefully, and quite solidly, on his head. Ed couldn't find the sympathy within himself to wince for the now loudly groaning man.

Instead, he scowled. But did nothing more, other than to continue to hang, utterly undignified, upside down in the air. And listened.

"Y'sure this him? " The large shadow man to the side said in contempt. "Even I can tell da shrimp ain't got no wand.."

At the hated word, Ed angrily slapped his palms together and let the warming energy circulate with his body.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A MICROSCOPIC PIPSQUEEK DUST MITE SO SMALL YOU CAN'T SEE RIDING A SHRIMP!" Ed howled in rage.

He held his palms inches apart before his chest and let the equation in his mind take shape. The usual blue archs were very slight and occurred mostly between his splayed fingers; But seconds passed as the air liquidfied, and even less as it compressed.

The second Malfoy's pale eyes widened in the telltale glow from molecular friction between his hands. Ed saw the man abruptly raise his cane and point; Ed released the spinning, highly compressed sphere of air between his hands, well aimed at the shadow man called "Goyle".

Ed glimpsed the man's lips mouthing something, but the ringing rush of expanding air filled his ears.

Then. Ed was airborne.

Now nowhere near that concerned about the man or his companions, he desperately flipped his body about to wear off the momentum of the blast before he hit the ground somewhere below him.

Ed landed hard on his feet, feeling the force of the impact all the way to his rattling teeth. He then fell back into a series of backflips, only, after the first few, they somehow turned into an uncontrolled roll that only stopped when he splashed breathlessly into the half frozen river. ________________

Harry stood between the drawn wands of his godfather and his Potions professor, trying desperately to keep the two from dueling.

Both wizards faces held only loathing and hate for one another, and neither seemed to be listening to him. At any other time, Harry rather thought he'd welcome a good beating of Professor Snape, and he felt odd to be the one preventing such a thing from happening at all.

That was the exact point in time when pajama clad Mr. Weasley, with the happy words "Completely cured!" barged through the kitchen door.

Harry glanced to him, and saw Mrs. Weasley, and the rest of the Weasley children staying in the house surrounding the man. "What's going on?" He said in bewilderment. Snape and Sirius, to Harry's relief, both lowered their wands and looked away from each other.

"Nothing at all." Sirius said with a warm smile to Mr. Weasley. "Only a small... chat.. between old school-mates."

"Do not be late to your appointment for remedial Potions, Potter." Snape said coldly, "Anyone who has seen your work in my classroom can tell that you most definitely need it." He then swept out the door without a single glance to the gathered Weasleys.

Harry then noticed a mass of brown bushy hair that he surmised was Hermione and Ed behind them all, just arriving to the open kitchen door. He watched as door swung closed before he turned to face the bewildered Mr. Weasley.

Then... a great silvery glowing thing...a beast with four legs and quite a lot of fur...rushed silently though the room.

"Tonks..!" Harry heard Sirius gasp.  
________________

Surrounded by an altogether different sort of darkness, Ed silently paddled in the frozen sludge as he remembered he was supposed to, all the while well aware it would do him no good, weighed down as he was with two steel limbs. Lungs burning, begging for the life giving air he didn't have; it wasn't long until he hit the muck on the bottom.

It was exactly what he needed most.

'Now...that way is UP' Ed thought blearly, willing himself to stay awake as he lifted his head.

Ed brought his palms together, welcomed the warming energy, and slammed both hands to the silt. He let the shining equation in his mind take shape..briefly seeing the rocks before his face as the usual blue archs flashed wildly about him. The minerals reacted, telling him he had guessed the composition correctly, and he felt himself rising.

And most definitely sliding off the platform.

Ed immediately overrode the safeties in his right, slammed the palm to the stone, and dug the metal fingers into the rock. The stone pillar broke the surface seconds later, and he breathed deeply on reflex in relief. Then choked as a lungful of water invaded his throat.

Ed took a good look around as he sputtered for breath. The servos in his arm complained noisly as they strained against both the river current and the waterlogged weight of himself plus his metal leg. He could see the lights of the city on either side of him...so far far away. The light if offered was dim, but from it, he could see that he was barely clinging to the side of his creation. Likely in the middle of the river he never learned the name of.

"Shit. Overdid it." Ed sniffed in self-assessment, then pulled himself closer to the stone, overrode the safeties in his leg and savagely kicked himself something of a toe-hold in the pillar.

A considerable struggle later, he laid on his back on the stone, only intending to catch his breath. As he watched, nearly facinated at each puff of cloud from his drenched lungs...he realised he was drifting off.

He looked to the still strange sky above him, breathed in deeply, and slapped his palms together. He reveled in the sadly false warm feeling the circulating energy always provided for a moment then touched his drenched clothes. Blue arches flashed wildly, and steam rose before his eyes.

Fighting all the frozen aches that seemed to eminate from his very marrow, he rolled to his side and...

Scowled as he felt a hum deep in his chest.

Ed slapped his palms together, and looked to the direction he figured it came from. High above him, he could barely make out a lumpy shadow against the stars.

He narrowed his eyes at it as he slammed his living hand against the stone. Blue archs flashed all around him and spread on down beneath him..making the river glow eerily as his equation engaged in the bedrock. By the light, he saw a shock of long silver white hair on a narrow pale face, as well as a rather rotund fellow wearing a sort of skull for a mask-- both riding on broomsticks. He grinned ferally and struggled to his feet.

That same moment, his equation launched a dozen dozen stone fists as large as boulders from the riverbed, all aimed at his targets above.

He didn't bother to see if they actually made their marks; instead, he slapped his hands again and slammed both hands to the stone. In moments, with just as wild a reaction, a thin stone bridge rose from below as well. He hurriedly limped his way to shore as quickly as he could as the fists splashed spectacularly back into the river around him.

Steps away from shore, he felt another hum. He slapped his palms again, and touched his right. A blue flash later, signature blade extended from his wrist, he leapt into a one handed hand spring just as he heard a sneering voice shout.

"Stupify!"

The blast of energy flew right under his body as he was in midair. He landed on his feet and immediately leaped again-- this time to the side as another hum went off.

"Reducto!"

"Incindio!"

Ed jumped back into a desperate half roll, narrowly missing jet of flame.

"Idiot! He wants him alive!" Malfoy's voice sneered in the dark.

Ed in mid-run, slapped his hands together and smoothly slammed them to the ground as he dodged another blast from above. Blue arcs of lightening lit up the ground as a great stone fist rose up and swatted at Malfoy's last known location.

"Impedientia!" The man shouted with a air of desperation. To Ed's frustration, the hand actually stopped short of it's target. With yet another hum in his chest to deal with, Ed quickly ducked UNDER the stone arm and slapped his palms together again. With a touch..blue archs flew down the stone arm to the hand...the equation telling the hand to change shape to something more appropriate.

A slight frustrated growl told him he was successful in his effort.

With a smirk, Ed then spun about on his heel and dove into a roll as the hum reached what he judged to be the climax.

"REDUCTO!" He heard and then felt the rain of rocks pelting painfully against his back. Hands together as he found his feet, Ed leaped into another rolling handspring and let the equation fly. Blue archs flashed wildly beneath his hands.

A stray bolt of energy suddenly struck his right as he found his feet, and he saw many bits of metal shooting through and shredding the cloth of his coat.. forearm utterly gone in a glance as his equation completed its execution around him.

Once again.. he was surrounded by darkness... and he could only hear the echos of his own labored breath against the thick walls of his stone dome. He fell on his backside, and wiped at his chin with his left.

"Tink. Tink. Tere's a vay to beat dem. Tink." Ed muttered, then examined what was left of his right by feel with his left. "Tch. Half gone. Nice vone, stupid." 


	57. Bond

A/N: Yep...I'm definitely guilty of rambling on and on and on in this story... I just love the world here and could literally go on forever.

Rewrote this one several times ...It's really close to what I want to tell. May revise it as I think Snape is not quite right.. Ah weeeelll...Let's see what you all think.

Thanks again for the reviews, and most definitely thanks for reading:)

BREAK

Ed tore away the sleeves of several layers of clothes from his now ruined right. He knew for certain there were at least three wizards outside his stone dome that were most definitely in his "not nice" category of people, his damaged arm alone was proof of that.

"And..they want me alive.." Ed muttered angrily in Amestrian as he tore the last bit away.

He touched his left palm to the jagged metal end that was just short of the elbow and touched the ground. Blue lightening arched from his living fingers, and several small crystals rose up beneath his palm. These, he carefully placed in his coat pocket as he shifted to his knees.

There was a hum vibrating deep in his chest, and he scowled.

"...Gotta be kidding me..." Ed spat in Amestrian, grabbed several chunks from his pocket, and touched his palm to his stump. A blue flash later, he hunkered down and took careful aim with his newly created arm-cannon.

BREAK

Mr. Weasley sat at the table, the only adult left in the room, and Harry saw that his face was nearly as perplexed as Ron's as he listened to them all.

"And that... silvery glowing beasty thing...?" Ron said with a waving gesture beside him.

"A patronous, obviously." Hermione said, "but who.."

"Sirius said it was Tonks'" Harry said. "Though why would.."

"I saw it give Snape a message before it rushed off again... " Hermione looked at Harry, then laid her forehead against the table. "Ohhh...If it's Tonks' patronus... Something must've happened to Ed." Hermione said worriedly, voice slightly muffled.

"Come again?"

"... She's assigned to Ed, remember..? I knew I should've stayed with him ..not let him go off alone and...and.."

"Now..no need for that, Hermione dear. I'm sure Edward's really just..fine." Mr. Weasley said consolingly. "Tonks tends to use that patronus trick quite a lot, as I recall. She could just've ..I suppose ...Um... with Severus ...have I missed something completely..?"

"You're sure that's where he went...?" Harry said to Hermione across the table. "You're absolutely certain..."

"I checked the screen while he was reading those rubbish werewolf stories.. definitely. Yeah. He has to have gone there."

"A...screen that shows newspapers?" Mr. Weasley said owlishly. "Goodness...what will Muggles think up ne..."  
"A graveyard then..?" Ron interrupted as he narrowed his eyes. "The nutter... What's the point in that..? I mean we already found 'im out."

George shrugged as he placed the platter of sandwiches down on the table with a flick of his wand. "Maybe he needs a new name to use..?"

"Keep it down you lot..." Called out Fred by the kitchen door.  
The door swung open as Mrs. Weasley and Sirius entered the room once again. Harry was careful not to meet her eyes and instead reached over for a sandwich to tuck into. Ron and Hermione did the same.

He wiped at the burning scar on his forehead.

BREAK

Ed did not hear a "pop" nor did he see the telltale lightening archs of an alchemical reaction as he looked down the barrel of his weapon. None-the-less, a good portion of his dome was now just..gone, and, by the starlight, Ed could easily see a man with a skull mask pointing a wand at him.

Without hesitation, Ed fired.

Amazed at his dumb luck, Ed watched the man go down gasping in pain. Ed quickly rose to his feet and touched his palm against the hot barrel. The next step, and Ed dove into a roll. Blue lightning arched wildly along the ground in all directions, and a thick dust rose as the equation took effect. When Ed again found his feet, the hum in his chest had nearly vanished completely.

Ed turned about and considered the man ..then rushed to his side, and hurriedly removed the ornate mask. The pudgy faced fellow moaned in pain, and coughed, but otherwise did little else. Ed quickly eyeballed the man's injuries, which were mostly about his chest, and judged them to be shallow but ugly. He quickly grabbed the man's wand and gave it quick wave over his head. The resulting explosion was large and loud, and he tossed the now useless thing aside.

'One down.' Ed thought.

He smoothly slapped his palm against his still-hot barrel, turned, and touched the ground as he rose to run off in another direction.

Blue archs flashed wildly behind him as he felt another hum rise in his chest. He didn't have to look to see the equation complete...

He dove into a one handed roll as several voices cried out.

"Stupefy!"  
"Reducto!"  
And other words he couldn't make out all around him. He widened his eyes as he heard several blasts striking where he absolutely knew the reaction had taken place ...precisely where he had neatly encased the fallen man inside a stone fist.

He ran on through the dust and darkness. Soon enough, he found the set of stone stairs, barely visible in the dim and flickering electric light.

He ran on past them and onto the pavement that lead to the city, dust thinning with every step.

It wasn't long before he felt another hum..He again slapped his palm against his stump...

"Found him! Oy! Ed!" He heard a familiar voice call out above him.

"BUSY!" Ed yelled as he leapt into his dive...

...And heard many cries of "Stupefy!" from behind, amongst other things he didn't bother to sort out. Blasts flew just inches above his head as he began his arc of decent.

Then..his hand made contact with the ground, and the ground rumbled loudly. Blue archs flashed wildly and ran along the ground towards the source of the hum. Ed spied some quick stepping shadows in the darkened dust as he found his feet, a few looking like they narrowly avoided getting impaled on the dozens of earth spikes running along the ground after them.

The hum was unaffected.

Ed hunkered down by one of his spikes, glanced down the pedestrian, tranquil, well lit...normal street behind him and ground his teeth in frustration.

"Can't go any farther..." Ed said with a scowl, and focused on finding the source of the hum he felt. "Those people don't deserve this.."

He heard laughter far into the shadows...and it wasn't a pleasant thing to hear. Then came the exaggerated, nearly rhythmic staccato that sounded like clapping.

"Well. Well." Called a high cold hissing voice in near perfect Amestrian. "It sseemss my pet wass not wrong in the leassst about your considerable sssskills, Alchemissst. Come out so that I may sssee you better."

"vRiiiight. Don't insult my intelligence!" Ed replied in Amestrian."No way will I just give you a clean shot at me."  
Ed narrowed his golden eyes as a tall shadow emerged from the dust, just enough to reveal the lean shape of a man. A man that had a pointy stick pointed right a him.

"My lord, you mustn't ..the Aurors..the Ministry.." Malfoy's voice called out.

"Silence, my dear Lucius. I am well aware of them. We have some time before they find us in spite of the ruckus you managed to raise on this... little... errand." The voice said in a dangerous calm in English, and Ed felt a vein in his temple throb at the hated word 'little'.

Ed watched as another shadow emerged from the dusty dark. It was another tall man, with long silvery hair and a pointed chin. Ed narrowed his eyes as he saw that Malfoy, too, had a wand pointed towards him.

"Tricky...tricky" Ed muttered as he adjusted his equation. Then. He saw something dark move out of the corner of his eye, and just as he turned his head, felt a sharp jab at his throat. As he lifted his chin away from it, he saw the cold glare of Severus dark eyes.

"The Dark Lord wishes a word with you, Elric." Severus hissed hauntingly. "It would be wise for you to address him properly. Get up. Now."

"Ah. Severus. Late as ever, I see." The shadow man quipped coldly.

As Ed rose to his feet, Severus kept his wand pointed at him. He could feel the hum from the thing vibrating up to the roots of his teeth, and Ed clenched his jaw tightly as he scowled at the man.

"I was regretfully delayed, my Lord." Severus said. "I trust I haven't missed too much of the excitement?"

Slowly, the man emerged into the light. Ed saw a pale face with but slits for a nose, and a pair of eyes redder than any Ishballan he had ever met, and as inhuman as any homulculus.

"You must be Vol de.. " Ed began, but Severus jabbed his wand into his throat just enough to make him gasp.

"Do not. Say his name." Severus spat. "You are not worthy of the privilege."

Ed slid his eyes towards the shadow man, this Voldemort, and snorted.

"Look exactly as you vere described to me." Ed muttered instead.

"Forgive my asssociatesss their -enthusiasm - in trying to bring you to me for thisss little chat." Voldemort continued calmly in Amestrian. "I have a sssmall tasssk for you, Mr. Elric. One that my dear pet hasss assssured me that only you can properly accomplisssh."

"Vhat vill you give me if I do.." Ed said.

A small round silver object seemed to appear in midair before him and floated in defiance of gravity. As directed by Voldemort's wand.

"Take it. I understand that it is something of great importance to you." Voldemort said.

Ed kept eyes steadily gazing at Voldemort's. And made not a single move towards the silver watch, even though he was certainly encouraged to do so with another jab from Severus' wand.

Ed made to fold his arms, then remembered he was missing one and placed his remaining hand on his hip.

"This is not a negotiation." Voldemort spat in English, and flicked his wand so that the watch fell to the ground."Take the watch. Or you and all you care for will die."

Voldemort gracefully pointed his wand once again at Ed.

With on last encouraging jab from Severus' wand, Ed stumbled towards the watch. Ed glanced at Voldemort, but found it hard to tell if there was a hum coming from his wand or not. With a glare back towards Severus, he bent towards the object with his fingers splayed...

...And a balanced equation shined brightly in his mind.

Ed released the warming circulating energy, and blue lightning flashed and arched hugely all around him. The earth beneath his feet shifted abruptly, and Ed simply dropped into the earth.

The rattling hum in his chest vanished with the dim light of the surface. BREAK

As quickly as he opened it, Ed made sure to seal the hole behind him once he found his feet at the bottom of the shaft. As he lifted his hand from the wall, carefully monitoring the reaction archs dance their way though the air above his head, Ed heard someone groan and cough beside him in the earthy darkness.

There was another hum, and, though it was slight in comparison to what he had dealt with that night, Ed instinctively shifted his weight..

He heard the sneering oily voice breathe,

"Lumos."

Then Ed slammed all of his body weight against Severus' throat. The man crashed hard, breathless, against the created stone wall, and Ed held him there easily with his living forearm. Severus' wand clattered noisily to the stone floor. By it's dim light, Ed met and held Severus' cold gaze.

"I vant no part in dis vizard pissing contest of yours, but I also have no vish to see anyvone hurt by a traitorous scum bag. Tell me now vat your game is Severus, and I may let you valk out of here."

"My. Game." Severus gasped, and raised his eyebrows. "And what of yours?"

"I. Have no part in dis var." Ed said.

"Equivalent. Exchange." Severus gasped. "Begin with telling me why the watch is so important."

"Iz noting" Ed said "Probably has a curse or somting on it now."

"So it was over nothing that you broke the arm of my favored student?"

"I highly doubt somevone like you could eben understand vhat it means to have to carry such a ting." Ed said savagely with narrowed eyes. "Much less villingly do it for de sake of somevone else."

"Ah." Severus said. "That is where you're mistaken."  
Severus eased up his left arm slightly, and Ed flicked his eyes towards the movement.

"Lift up the sleeve, and you will see for yourself. On the underside of my arm."

Ed released his hold on Severus in disgust and took a step back. After rubbing his throat for a few moments, Severus lifted his own sleeve. Ed couldn't help but look at the ghastly tattoo that looked much like a skull with a snake for a tongue. As he watched, the snake tongue moved as though it were alive. The skin around it was enflamed and puffy.

"Knew the brat couldn't keep his tieving mouth shut." Ed muttered, and looked away, using the excuse of having to fiddle a bit with the remains of his right.

"You insult my intelligence, Mr. Elric." Severus said coldly as he replaced his sleeve. "Though yours is certainly easier to bear, tell me who it is you carried your own mark for."

Ed blinked, then realised the man was asking about the watch again. The watch that he earned, was required to wear, and marked him as a state alchemist of Amerstrian military. The watch that made him hated as a sell out by many.

"My brodder." Ed said instantly. "You?"

After a moment's hesitation, Severus replied softly, "An old friend."

"De Order is avare of dis mark on you, vright?"

Severous took a breath, and instead of answering, asked another question.

"A graveyard at the edge of the city proper.. Not the pleasant kind of place to visit while on holiday...not for a mere Muggle of your apparent age."

Ed ground his teeth and studied the ground.

"Why did you come to this place?" Severus pressed.

Ed turned away and studied the transmuted wall, then slapped his palm to the arm cannon. With but a touch, a tunnel formed before him, stretching deep into the earth. "If ve go dis vay, ve should sooner be connecting vith de subvay tunnel and ..."

"Elric..?"

Ed stepped forward into the dark of created tunnel.

"Elric..Answer me."

Ed examined the ceiling of his creation and carefully checked for structural weaknesses.

"Need I remind you that I am still your Professor.."

Ed stopped a moment.  
"No."

"Good, then tell.."

"No. You are not my Professor, Severus." Ed stated. "Not anymore."

Ed expanded the tunnel with another touch to the created wall. While the lightning flashed he glanced to the stony faced Severus.

"I vill not be returning to Hogvarts."  
_


	58. In the company of Snape

A/N: Moving it right along..Didn't manage to get as much done as I would've liked. I do figure there would be  
consequences for Ed's actions, and none of the adults are likely to just let it go - aw hell, it's still the Holidays,  
too.  
Anyhow. Thx

Ed expanded another tunnel with a touch, then leaned his left shoulder against the wall as the material obeyed  
his equation and reformed itself accordingly in arcs of blue lightening. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, breathed  
deep in a effort to withhold a huge yawn, and closed his eyes tiredly.

He heard the swooshing of robes as Severus moved past him, and opened his golden eyes to watch the man  
inspect the new tunnel with a few flicks of his wand.

"The lack of taste is absolutely appalling, however, far more revelent to the matter is the simple fact that.. ."  
Severus flicked his wand towards a crack - and a rather prominent transmutation flaw - running along the ceiling.  
Ed noticed to his dismay that it also ran right through one of his bat-winged, saw-toothed unicorns that cleverly  
acted as flying buttresses. "...you're slipping."

"Dere isn't dat much calcium here. Nor dat much iron." Ed replied tiredly. "I COULD alvays take de oxygen out of  
our air supply and..Oh. Dere's a taut. You vouldn't be able to breathe, much less com.."

A considerable amount of dust fell from the crack just then, and Ed sighed instead of completing his thought. He  
slapped his left palm irritably to his right stump as he pushed himself off the wall and made his way over to the  
spot, dragging his feet the entire way.

Just as he raised his hand to touch the wall, Severus flicked his wand so that its glowing tip was less than an inch  
from his nose. Ed froze and looked at the thing in bewilderment for several moments before he glared at the  
man.

"As I thought." Severus said. "You are far too tired to.."

"Am fine." Ed said flatly, and shook out his hand as he tried to recall the equation he needed. "Several more  
hours before I chance a vrebound..."

"Rebound?"

Ed rolled his eyes.

"De burns I vas in de infirmary for vhen you oh so VISE vones vere so sure I made a suicide attempt? Oh wait..  
you vould call it a Dark charm or someting as stoopid!"

Severus returned a cold glare of his own. "If your intelligence wasn't highly questionable, then you would know  
the proper term is Dark Arts you.."

"VHATEVER!" Ed yelled. "DON'T LECTURE ME ON SOMETING AS UNSCIENTIF.."

More dust and debris fell, this time landing quite directly on the crown of Ed's head. He cringed, then shook it  
like a dog. Dust flew all about him, and he scowled at the offending crack.

"That's. It." Ed spat in Amestrian.

Balanced equation shining in his mind, Ed angrily slapped his palm to his metal stump, punched his fist to the  
wall, and stalked to the far end of the again expanding tunnel before it had completed forming.

"No way will I ever let this fucked up dream world screw with ME, FALL ..." Ed scowled, slapped his palm to his  
stump and punched the wall again. ".. APART while I'm in here!"

The tunnel rumbled behind him and a great gout of dust easily overwhelmed the tiny light at Severus' wand tip.  
The tunnel behind him suddenly collapsed and Ed leaned more upon his fist on the wall.

Blue lightening crackled noisily all throughout the tunnel as he ranted. "I vill NOT be bested by molecules,  
atoms, or even photons! NOW STAY TOGETHER!"

The dust vanished in a blue flash lightning, consumed by the equation at last. Ed heard the gasping coughs of  
Severus just behind him, and eased himself off the wall. That was when he realized he was actually panting, and  
wiped his face irritably with the back of his left.

He looked over at Severus, and met the man's cold gaze.

"Do not take dis vrong vay..." Ed gasped in careful English after a moment, wrinkled his nose in distaste. Hating  
the thought of giving the man even that much. "I'm goink to sit here for little vhile. Just to vork on  
equations to get avround dis... poor soil."

Severus rose to his full height and took the time to carefully straighten his dark robes. Then, the man held out  
his arm. Ed looked at it blankly.

"Take hold."

"Like hell." Ed said as he sat down onto his created stone floor.

"Do not be stupid. It's the only way..."

"De shit it is." Ed said. "I vill not just let you take me to dat Moldy-shorts." Ed then examined his ruined and  
bloody knuckles.

"If that were my intention, you are certainly in no condition to.."

"Shut it." Ed spat. "You obviously have no idea vhat he vants me to do or you vouldn't have a ting to do vith de  
freak in de first place."  
Severus lowered his arm and fiddled with the sleeve.

"So tell me. I cannot begin to fathom what he would ever want a dirty.. Muggle.. like you for. " Ed snorted,  
slapped at his dusty coat front, then ruffled his unruly bangs. A small dust cloud arose from his efforts, and he  
undid his pony tail to worry the worst of it out.

"Yeah. He vas after a philosopher's stone before, vright?"

"Ye-es..not that it's any of your concern, but that was destroyed years ago by Dumbledore."

"If dat vone vas destroyed, den it vasn't a true stone." Ed said and rubbed at an ache on his right.

"Probably heard about it, and me, from daat stoopid snake of his..but Moldy likely vants a vreal vone." Ed  
continued.

Severus tapped the glowing tip of his wand to his chin, as he slowly paced across the way, then turned and  
looked coldly at Ed.

"A real stone? Really. And you say he wants you to make one for him."

"Yeah. Tink so. No vay am I eber going to..." Ed said. "..de main ingredient for de stone is human lives."

Severus stopped walking, and looked at him sharply. Ed swallowed his bile and picked up a pebble, then tossed it  
at the wall, where it echoed its strike and clattered to the floor.

"Can't eben manage to do it for my brodder." Ed added with a wistful sigh.

Severus paced some more as Ed watched. "No. No. You can't be correct about this at all.. Muggles certainly don't  
have this sort of..."

"Vhy? Because Alchemy been in decline for...vhat? Past tousand years?" Ed said impatiently then leaned the back  
of his head against the wall.

Severus narrowed his eyes.

"Tell me who it was that gave you access to the.." Severus said dangerously. "No. Explicit instructions on how to  
forge a stone isn't even IN the Restricted section of the library..There's hardly anything on alchemy beyond its  
basic role in potion making at all.

"Just how..." Severus started, then swallowed back the question as Ed looked at him. Severus tapped his finger to  
his wand, the movement almost like a nervous tick.

"You said the SNAKE told him of you. Tell me what you know of the creature." Severus said.

"More dan I vant to." Ed said flatly. "Vone: Dhat ting is not vreally eben a snake at all. I can't eben say is alive..."

"You know far too much..." Severus suddenly snapped..

Pop! Pop!

At the sound, Ed startled to his feet unsteadily, nearly falling completely on his face before he caught himself  
and settled into a shabby, one armed fighting stance on his still wobbling legs.

Standing between him and Severus were, apparently, "Al", electric blue eye whirling about in it's socket, and a  
pink haired Tonks.

"You were certainly desperate to get some place with that hair-brained.. whatever-it-was.. that landed you in the  
infirmary." Severus said, raising only a single eyebrow at their sudden company before smoothly lowering his  
wand.

"Vas equation with spacial construction array." Ed said, and likewise eased his left down slightly and turned his  
attention to the pair. He froze, mid-breath, when he heard familiar syllables in that sneering voice.

"Tell to me exactly where your home is." Severus had said in a rough, but carefully spoken Amestrian.

"Where the hell did you learn my language?" Ed roared back in Amestrian. "First that old man speaks it... fluently.  
.. and then this Voldie guy and now you..!"

Severus' face scrunched into an inscrutable expression and a single finger raised up on his hand ever so slightly.  
Ed knew that unconscious gesture so well, having done it himself quite a lot his first few weeks in England, and in  
other places where he had encountered new people.

"Missed most of vhat I said." Ed said confidently in English.  
"Tell me where you are from." Severus said in English with a frustrated sort of half growl.

"Amestris." Ed replied flatly, as if bored with the whole subject.

"There is no such place on the entirety of the globe." Severus said. "Now tell me the truth."

"De druth?" Ed spat with a scowl.

"OY! CHILDREN! ARE WE INTERRUPTING?" Tonks yelled, pink hair changing to a distinct orange as she glared at  
them both.

"No." Ed said.

He aimed his scowling glare right back at her. She jerked back slightly as if struck with a physical blow.

"I am in no mood to be nice...Tell to me now what you said to me vhen ve first met..."

BREAK

Harry rubbed his face, feeling hot and icy all at once. His stomach complained nearly immediately, twisted itself  
into knots, and he wrapped his arms about his middle to keep from dry heaving, again, in the hours since Mr.  
Weasley had returned from the hospital.

That was why he was in bed this early, hoping it was just a bit of the flu instead of what he suspected it really  
was. And what THAT was he didn't want to think about on this night before he returned to Hogwarts.

Nor did he wish to even consider the private lessons he now had to do with his least favorite teacher to block it  
all out.. Somehow.

He heard screaming portrait begin ranting incoherently once again in the hall downstairs, and his scar throbbed  
hotly as he lifted his head from his pillow. He glanced over to very blurry Ron, then groped blindly for his  
glasses on the night stand.

He joined Ron, and the others, all already gathered at the stairwell, and just managed to glimpse the swooshing  
robes and familiar shape of Snape as he made his way towards the kitchen door below.

Harry looked at them each, and only took a single breath when Hermione answered his unasked question.

"It's Ed." Hermione whispered to him urgently as they watched George drop one end of a fleshy ribbon over the  
rail. Fred held the other end up in his cupped hand.. The thing looking very much like a chopped off human ear. "  
He's back but.."

"Mum."  
"On it!"

George hurriedly began pulling the ribbon back up. Fred rolling it in a bundle just as quickly. Mrs. Weasley  
stepped into view as the bundle was carefully tucked behind Fred back.

"You lot..Harry! Whatever are you doing out of bed..?"

"I..I was .." Harry trying to stammer past the throbbing pain in his forehead. Instead, he clenched his teeth as  
another wave of nausea turned his stomach.  
"..Fancied a drink, mum." Ron said. "I was on my way down, and he..."

Harry heard Ron sputter to a stop as Mrs. Weasley reached over and gently cupped Harry's chin. "You look..awful.  
Off to bed with you, now... Ron dear ..I need you to show me where ever Edward placed those things he's calling  
his 'spares'?"

"Those things..? Um.." Ron chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, and turned back towards the room he shared  
with Harry.

"What's happened?" Hermione asked immediately. "Is he hurt or..."

"He's fine. Just fine." Mrs. Weasley replied softly as she urged them off to the rooms. "He said he had a ...  
techanical... problem, and needs his spares for a bit, s'all dear."

Harry entered the room and saw Ron in Ed's area, face all scrunched in confusion as he glanced at Harry.

"He had them right there, I know it." Ron said, and gestured to the empty night stand. "I remember the pile -  
were at the bottom."

"Was afraid of that. I'll have to rouse Sirius and ask him what he did with them." Mrs. Weasley said. Harry felt her  
cool knuckles grace his burning forehead as he climbed back beneath his covers. "Quite a fever.."

"Yeah." Harry squeaked out as he swallowed back another wave of nausea, feeling thankful that the equally cool  
pillow was not so far away.

"Stay here." Mrs. Weasley said "Both of you. We have an Order meeting below, and I want the rest of you in bed  
as well. I'll be back with your water as soon as I can."

The door clicked closed, and Harry rolled himself into a ball.

"Harry?" Ron said.

"Yeah?"

"I..know your scar's what's ..I reckon it's what's making you.."

"Hope not." Harry said with clenched teeth. "If it is, he's angry. I mean REALLY. Really. Angry."

"Yeah, well..."

"Just. Leave it." Harry hissed, and squinched his eyes closed. Not entirely sure if the flaring heat of temper was  
his or not. He hated the need to doubt what he was feeling the most.

BREAK

Ed sat at the kitchen table across from "Al". Sandwiches from the missed meal were piled on a nearby platter, and  
his stomach roared. He tore his eyes away from the morsels, and forced himself to look at the scowling face  
before him.

"So eat."

"No." Ed said. "Vould rather get dis over vith. And I DO NOT VANT onlookers." He added with as glare at Severus  
by the hearth, then to Tonks and the just entering Remus.

"Too bad." "Al" said. "This' a meeting of the Order, and you are in the Order's headquarters. So onlookers are what  
you're.."

"Moody. What's.." Remus said.

"Only kiddie stuff right now." "Al" said as he folded his arms and leaned back into his chair. "He's just going to  
change to his spare limbs before we start. Go on, you."

Ed scowled, and lifted up what was left of his right. "You call dis 'kiddie stuff'."

"That's right, boy. Got a leg just like it, see, and I know that changing to a spare ain't no big deal. Now get on with  
it."

Ed frowned and ground his teeth.

"Need a safe place to hide out don't you? ..cooperate, boy."

"Fine." Ed huffed. "Dey are a set, but leg vill vait. I don't fancy showing my boxers to everyvone."

"Didn't fancy seeing 'em much either." "Al" replied.

Ed didn't cease his scowling throughout the entire ordeal. He slapped down his ever-present long coat onto the  
table, and began undressing one-handedly.

Remus hovered over him at one point, but backed away a few steps when Ed, still scowling, met his eyes.

He savagely bit at the cuff on his left and jerked the sleeve off with his teeth, effectively finishing with the last  
of the buttons of his shirt by the time the spares arrived, floating at the tip of Mrs. Weasley's wand.

A bleary- eyed Sirius stumbled in right behind her, and immediately found a seat in his usual corner behind some  
fanciful vials someone had placed on the table. Once he was seated, Ed didn't so much as glance to the man.

"What? No. No. He's a friend. You will not do this to.." Mrs. Weasley began.

"Yes we will, Molly." "Al" interrupted. "We should've done this at the start with 'm. You didn't see what we did in  
the field."

Ed raised his dusty head and glared at "Al", and narrowed his eyes, half thinking he was missing something vitally  
important.

"At least. Give him some privacy for..for these barbaric things." Mrs. Weasley said."Before."

Ed glanced to Mrs. Weasley.

"Iz equivalence. Only fair dat I share tings of me in exchange for vhat you have share vith me alvready."

He pressed the hidden latches in his right shoulder, then looked down and grit his teeth as he firmly pulled the  
arm-cannon free from the housing. The socket made a little pop noise that he felt more than heard as it slid  
free. At disconnection, there was distinct stinging burn of every one of his nerves suddenly dying. Again.  
Then suddenly nothing at all.

His stomach lurched queasily in its usual response as he placed the thing onto the table before him. He looked  
the connector over carefully for flaws, more to settle his stomach than really anything, and noticed there were  
quite a few. One even looked very much like a deep crack.

"Vhat de hell did dey hit me vith..?" Ed said softly, not really expecting an answer as ran his bare finger over the  
unexpected flaw.

"..'They'..? Who's.." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Death eaters..." Tonks supplied.

"Tonight it was revealed that the Dark Lord is deeply interested in Mr. Elric. " Severus said by the hearth.

"So you were wrong all this time about the.. And Arthur suffered all that for.. "

"No." Moody said. "Your husband is proof enough that he wants THAT just as badly."

"Then..Why would..? He's just a child."

"More of a brat, if you ask me." "Al" said. "What this one did defending himself will likely make the Muggle  
papers in spite of all the Obliviators being out in force to..."

"Dey better not do a damn ting." Ed growled as he reached for the spare arm, fumbling with the belt.

"You used magic in a big way, boy. What did you think would.."

"Vasn't. Magic." Ed said gruffly as he slipped the belt over his head, then scowled at the buckle to the side of his  
chest. "Stoopid. Piece of.." Ed then looked sharply back at "Al". "Make dem leave dose people alone.. stop dem  
from.."

"Obviously you have failed to grasp the gravity of the situation.." Severus sneered from the hearth.

"Like hell." Ed snapped. "Alchemy is SCIENCE. Dey have no vright to.."

"They have every right to. They. Like Aurors. Enforce the law." Tonks said.

Ed let go of the spare and slammed his remaining fist to the table.

The fire in the hearth flared up wildly, but that was not what drew Ed's eyes: It was the odd shade of green they  
suddenly just flashed into. But a moment later, a tall robed man, with a great long white beard and a pair of half  
moon spectacles perched upon his nose, stepped down regally from the bricks. Ed watched as the others greeted  
the man warmly- like a dear old friend.

The man greeted them back with a friendly wave, then turned his sparkling blue eyes to Ed.

Ed narrowed his eyes and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Dumbledore." Ed said flatly.

Then went immediately back to the task of installing his spare, lining up the socket as if nothing of importance  
had occurred at all.

Ed shoved the socket in, vaguely aware of someone speaking to the man, and at the moment, most definitely  
not giving. A. Damn.

He bit back the scream as all his nerves caught fire, and just managed to stop himself from wobbling over the  
chair onto the floor. Bleary eyed, he ran the spare though his isometric routine, determined to ignore the queasy  
flips his stomach was now engaged in, as well as the throbbing echoes his nerves pounded into his living muscles.

He then remembered the stoopid buckle, and slapped his left wearily to it, only to find his fingers disobeying his  
will. He didn't know how long he looked at the thing in complete bewilderment. It was all he could do to hook  
the metal weakly with a single finger, much less adjust the belt.

He felt a warm hand on his living shoulder, and lifted his heavy head as he heard someone say his name.

A cup of some sort of clear liquid hovered at his lips.

"Drink Edward. We have much we need to discuss."


	59. In whih Ed clears the room

A/N: Short chappy, but I don't want to ruin the tone by adding more..Like what the heck the golden trio is up to. So. It'll have to do. This is the internet...you can make things as long as you want cause it's printed on...NOTHING.:)

BTW: FMA chappy 108 is AWESOME! WAY better ending than either HP or the first anime! Just KNEW Ed wasn't gay! Can't have THAT bad of taste AND be gay! Happy dance... Happy dance...But I am bummed it's over, dang it.

Thanks again for reading, and for the reviews!

Edit-added more, basically what was to be the next chapter. So I changed my mind, so what? I am most definitely NOT a tidy writer (ahem- Muggle errand arc-choke choke) And I want to get free of the holidays, mild reveals with various plot bunnies and on to some awsomeness and action! With that..

Onwards!

-BREAK-

"Drink Edward. We have much we need to discuss."

He felt more than saw a cup of some sort of clear liquid hovering at his lips. He breathed in, and, as his stomach made another queasy lurch, Ed turned his leaden head to the side. He felt the cool liquid dribble down his lips and chin.

.. heard several voices cry out in alarm...

He was first aware of the vibrating burning of his all his nerves, echoing in sympathy to his arm's reconnection.

Then- the many, and familiar, voices discussing something heatedly around him. His foggy brain picked up a few words.. "..Molly'll... blankets ..if I know her any.."

"Merlin's... Moody.. should've ..."

"...kid .. those spells he.."

"Edward?" A voice called calmly.

He realised his forehead was against a solid surface of some sort, and, past the pain, he could tell that both of his arms were hanging freely on either side. He was fairly certain he was seated by the way gravity tugged on his living foot.

A warm hand gingerly brushed against his living shoulder. Ed gritted his teeth and barely managed to shift his head to the side towards the calm voice. He rested his cheek against the cool wet tabletop and soon, as if waiting for that movement, the room hushed into silence.  
Not inclined to move any more than absolutely necessary, he cracked his golden eyes open. Filtered through the dripping wet curtain of his long unruly bangs, he clearly saw the kitchen table, and several seated figures around it before him.

"Edward?" A voice called calmly again.

The tone was most soothing, in a clinical sort of way, and Ed looked in the voice's direction. By the flash of halfmoon glasses, he could tell it was Dumbledore. He watched the old man lower himself into something of a patient squat. Soon, he gazed upon twinkling blue orbs.

Ed couldn't dredge up any kind of feeling at all about the man, and let his eyes wander to the nearby shadowy figures.

He saw Severus' cold glare greeting him, as well as the kind eyes of Remus.

Again, he felt nothing.

It was as if it was normal for him to be just laying about where ever he was, and he knew, intellectually, that was not something he would ever do. Well, not usually ever.

Dumbledore took a breath. "Edward, can you hear me?"

"Yeah" Ed replied, voice little more than a squeek to his own ears. He tried to lift his head, and instantly regretted it as his nerves flared hotly once again. He eased it down instead and his closed eyes, willing the waves of agony away.

It wasn't working, but then, it never really did.

"Can you tell me what just happened.?"

"I..Sympathetic nerve re..um.. nerve damage must've knocked me out." Ed said in a hoarse sort of whisper.

"This has happened before?"

"Yeah." Ed said, "Ever since.. I was thirteen. Reconnections do it to me every time."  
"Re.."

"My arm." Ed said softly. Calmly. "I..the..um.. Nerves.. in my housing.. way more sensitive ..thanks to some.. freaky.. cross dressing ..murdering.."

He stopped, and silently worked his jaw a few times. Then began again.

"Sorry.. I don't..."

"That's quite all right.. Quite all right.. Excuse me for but a moment.."

Dumbledore turned away and began speaking softly in another language to someone Ed couldn't see. After a few moments, Ed recognised it was English. A few more moments, and his foggy brain managed to translate some of what was being said.

" ..right dose...potion ..in the pensieve ... however questions ...painful ...and provide answers." Dumbdore said in the same calm soothing tone.

Intellectually, Ed knew he should feel concerned, but there was nothing as he let his eyes wander to the faces watching him intently. "Edward.."

"Yeah."

"Could you tell me how it is you know how to make a philosopher's stone?"

"Searched for it everywhere. On a lead, found Doctor Marco's research he hid away from the military. He worked in Lab five making incomplete stones before he deserted..." The words flowing out like the man had asked him how pleasant he found the weather to be. Ed would have blithely continued on but for one thing...

"Forgive me. Lab five? Where is that?"  
"Central. Abandoned warehouse next to the prison and by the..."

"Central?"  
"Capital city of Amestris. My homeland."

"And..uh.. where precisely is this..Amestris?"

"Xing is to the east, past the great desert, Drachma to the north.." Ed stated as if the matter was as obvious as the color of his socks.

"Could you .. Uh.. How far away is it? And in what direction..precisely, if you please?"

Ed felt compelled to provide something of an answer. A real answer. Truthful answer.

" So. Far away ...A world. Away from here."

"... as I feared.. Muggles do really...?" The sneering voice said hurriedly ...in English. Ed glanced to the sound, and saw it was Severus. "The Dark Lord could easily.."

Dumbledore raised a single finger and Severus stopped speaking abruptly. As Ed watched the old man weaved his fingers together before his chin and took a deep, calm breath.

"A world away? You say...? Could you tell me what it is you mean by that..?"

Ed looked away from the twinkling eyes. After a few moments..

Ed closed his eyes.

"Is that a no ...?" Dumbledore said calmly. "If so, could you at the least tell me why..?"  
Ed found he badly wanted to say something and discard his long habit of saying nothing or evading questions entirely. He never...

'No. They didn't.. They..' He thought.

His mind, now coldly logical, scientific, whirled through the given facts presented before him ..and drew a single conclusion.

He cracked his eyes open and met those twinking blue eye behind the halfmoon glasses.

He felt nothing. Not betrayal, nor even the hot flare anger that should have arose from the pit of his stomach.

"I know vhat...I know vhat is in me.. Veritaserum. Forces de truth out of those who are given it."

Ed kept his eyes on Dumbledore.

"Facinating. Though I was not aware it was in the water I was offering you at the time. Does that matter..?"

"Vas going to tell you vhat I could.. Vhat you could understand...Vas why I came back..after Voldemort tried for me." Ed said calmly.

Severus muttered something that sounded like a Muggle insult-or was it an insult towards Muggles- and stepped away in a huff.

Ed was about close his eyes to deal with the oncoming waves of agony when he heard Remus speak.

"Could you tell us how it is you managed such grand feats of wandless transfiguations..? Such powerful magic is.."

".. not magic." Ed muttered. "I become de arrays I need vhen I make de sign of constructional line of power. Works same vay, over and over, like your vands do for you.. Dats vhat makes it science."

Ed heard several muttered whispers about the table. A quite a few chair legs noisily scraped against the floor, and Ed heard the door open and close several times.

Remus glanced to the door, and to him, then back to the door- then, just as abruptly as Severus, vanished from Ed's view entirely.

After the ruckus quietened down, Dumbledore took a deep, calm breath.

"The ancients .. They had a magic. Strong magic that has since, quite fortunately, faded from our knowledge." Dumbledore said calmly, clinically, "...Said to make entire civilizations vanish in the space of a single night..."

Ed looked at Dumbledore and met the formerly twinkling blue eyes that now seemed to be made of ice.

"Is this something that sounds familiar to you..? Edward..?"

Ed managed to lift his heavy head, just a little.

"Is obvious is Alchemy... I know of two Master Alchemists who twisted de science dat vay to make stones..to open de gate.. To.. jump.. " Ed struggled to withhold a word. There was no way they would ever face that word. They had balked at it once already. " ...entire bodies... to cheat death.."

"Alchemy." Dumbledore said serenely. "Ah..yes, I have studied the subject. Extensively. Perhaps you are aware of this fact..?"

"You...m-made a stone..." Ed said, as compelled to by the question.

"No, no..not I. My late friend Nicolas made that particular stone centuries before I was born ..I confess that I am highly appalled to learn what he may have done to create it, but he was very careful never to share any of its secrets with me."

Ed looked away and closed his eyes.

"If you find you do not believe me, I shall be happy to take some veritaserum myself.."

"No. You speak true. You don't have dat veight.. in your eyes. Like vhat Hohemheim had."

"Hohemheim?"

"Poor excuse for a father ...never around vhen ve needed him most... called Hohemheim of Light. Master Alchemist. Could create photons.. Didn't eben have to move to do it. Useful ting for de military."

Then he winced, mentally kicking himself for even mentioning the military's involvement at all.

"Ah..Brilliant. And uh.."  
Ed heard the door swung open, then squeak closed.

"He usually made flowers for mom when he disappointed her ..and he did.. A lot." Ed continued and opened his eyes, hoping he blundered right past another question. The last thing he wanted was to be questioned about the military.

"Vhen I was a child, a vreath as first ting I learned to make for her from his notes ...did it just to see her smile. Vas her last request of me vhen she died. Make a fresh vone everytime I visit her."

Dumbledore smiled serenely and held out his hand. "Lemondrop?"

"Sugar coated molded gelatin sublimed with the flavoring of a citrus fruit." Ed said casually as repeating a simple recipe, then closed his eyes again. "Chemical matrix.."

He winced, stopped speaking and clenched his teeth as another wave of agony flowed though him.

"That looks..very painful, Edward. Would you...um.. Like for me to stupify you?" Remus said, and Ed looked at him as the man eased his way back into his view.

"No. Dis..I can do dis...My problem..Just.." Ed looked to the offered lemon drop, and focused upon it like a question had been asked of him, hoping to use it to work past the pain.

"Chemical matrix of 6 rings double bonded.."

It wasn't working, but then.

It never really did.

-BREAK-

His scar still stinging from the previous night, Harry was rushed out almost as soon as he was dressed. As he staggered down the hall, Ron and Hermione were waiting at the door.

"The Knight Bus..right. Always wanted to take it." Ron said.

"Where's Ed?" Harry asked as he rubbed his forehead.

"Not coming." Tonks said briskly. "Come on, then."

"Not coming..? What.." Hermione said. "Where is he..?"

Tonk's face, always so expressive, took on a guilty kind of expression, and the shade of her hair changed to a putrid sort of green. She then quickly glanced to the kitchen door.

Without hesitation, Harry and Hermione both marched in that same direction, stopped only by the outstretched arms of Lupin.

"Hold on, there." Lupin said, "Leave him be. Dumbledore wants him left alone."

"Left alone?" Hermione said in disbelief.

"What?" Harry said in equal disbelief, scar flaring hotly. His mind screamed 'Dumbledore was here? And no one let me know?'

Lupin's face took on that same guilty expression, for a moment, the he took a calming breath.

"He's not completely alone..Molly's in there now.."

"What happened...? Is he.." Hermione blurted. No answer came forthwrit and she continued on. "I left him.. I shouldn't have..I knew it he got hurt and.."

"He's...uh.. fine..." Lupin said and kneeled a bit to look Hermione directly in the eye. "He's just.. resting."

"You ask me.. We'll be lucky if he stops at just destroying this house when he wakes up." Sirius said softly, making his way down the stairs.

"Sirius, we all agreed..!" Remus said in the same hushed tones. "

"After what we put him through..I wonder if I joined the right side in this war afterall.." Sirius said with a shake of his head. "That was torture ..no matter how you look at.."

"Veritaserum only reveals the truth." Tonks said. "Everyone knows that..." She continued weakly.  
"The truth is.. WE.. did wrong by him, and no one can right it." Sirius said "You certainly couldn't stay in that room to watch it ...anymore than I could."

"You..used veritaserum..? On Ed? Why... What...?" Hermione said.

A loud crashing noise came from above, a Harry winced and glanced to the large curtained portrait nearby. Fortunately, no screams or curses issued forth from Mrs. Black just yet. Harry just had enough time to see something dropping into Hermione's hands.

It was the day's issue of the Daily Prophet, and Harry widened his eyes at the headline blazoned on the front page.

GRAVE BATTLE BETWEEN MAD MAGES IN A MUGGLE GRAVEYARD, Sirius Black strongly suspected..

Followed by an image, which nearly took the entire page, of towering earthen spikes, huge sculpted arms, disembodied fists, and even what looked to be an oversized sawtoothed bull's head. The picture, taken from above, clearly showed that everthing and more littered the ground for miles and miles.

Hermione's eyes moved quickly side to side, as she read through the article. Her face drained of its color by the time Ron reached her side. She looked at him, and hugged him so quickly that his face froze in shock as he looked over at Harry.

Sirius took the paper from Hermione's hand, glanced to the front page story, and snorted in amusement.

"I'll have to add this to my collection."

Hermione came back together, and blushed as she looked first to Ron, then to Harry.

"Right..not that I'm complainin'..but what's..?"

"That's the graveyard he went off to visit last night.." Hermione said. "The very one, I know it."

"So..? 'e went all mental." Ron said ".. e's a nutter.."

Hermione looked to Tonks, then Sirius, then finally Lupin.

"Let me see him." Hermione said. "Please."

-BREAK-

"Al?" Ed gasped, and awoke with a start.

He struggled with the many-blanket- monster piled on top of him, which seemed to only be there to bind him down -then tumbled to the hard floor and, wide-eyed, in a blind panic, looked about in complete confusion. He saw a low burning fire in a somehow familiar hearth beside him.

As he panted, he glimpsed a long nosed chimera glowering malevalently at him from one of the empty cupboards.

"See you're up.." Grunted a man's voice. Ed looked over, and saw, sitting at the nearby table, the scar covered face and spinning electric blue eye of someone he vaguely recognised.

"Uh..yeah." Ed replied, voice filled with uncertainty.

He then pushed himself up to a somewhat more dignified seated position and brought his left up to wipe his face. That was how he saw the belt strapped snugly across his chest.

Now more awake, he groaned, and flicked the buckle with his false finger as he scowled.

"Breakfast. If you're up to it." The man said gruffly.

Ed glanced to man. Groggy mind supplying the name "Al". Then looked to the thing he tumbled out of. Though it was narrow, it was clearly a bed.

"Molly thought it best not to move you too much." "Al" said. "Want the leg?"

"Yeah." Ed wrinkled of his nose, then got up. As he removed the heavy steel from his port, "Al" asked,

"So.. How DID you loose your limbs, boy?"

"Equivalent exchange." Ed replied calmly, mechanically, not even glancing to the man as he carefully lined up the ports. He grit his teeth and bit back his scream as he shoved the socket in. A few quick isometrics later, he got up from the table entirely.

"Guess that means the potion's worn off." "Al" grunted. "Molly..?"

"35 liters of water, 25 kilograms of carbon, 4 liters of ammonia.." Ed rattled off as compelled to, and eased himself to the bed once again.

"Nevermind.. " "Al" grumbled, and folded his arms with a sigh.

The kitchen door opened a little, and Remus poked his in the room. "Up for visitors?"

"..Phosphorus .. 3 grams.." Ed nodded enthusiastically, though still compelled to answer the previous question.

"NO." "Al" said over his reply. "Few more hours, I think."

"How is he...?" Ed heard Hermione call out. He completed the composition of the human body, and took a breath.

"I hurt all ober and ache in both my ports." He blurted out. Then made a face in disgust, flopped bonelessly to his back on the bed. He heard "Al" snort in amusement, and leveled a glare in his direction as he reached for a blanket to cover himself.

"He's fine now." Mrs. Weasley said as she entered the room. "Not like... Well, you know."

"I think.. If you are very careful.." Remus said.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron entered. Followed by Ginny, and the twins. Hermione approached the bed, squatted down, and smiled a polite- And highly fake, Ed noted- smile. He could clearly see her worry and even fear in her eyes.

"Good to see you. I was real worried."

Ed nodded a sharp nod, and tilted his head. As he looked at her, she blushed.

"So. Uh.." Harry began, uncomfortably. Ed noticed that the lightning shaped scar was especially red.

"Who's grave did you have to go visit in a such a rush anyway?" Ron spat impatiently. The boy's arms were folded across his chest in anger.

Compelled to answer truthfully, Ed said, through gritted teeth. "My. Own."

"RON!"  
"Huh..?" "Bollocks."  
"Bloody.."

"You.. a vampire?"  
"No. I am not vampire. Dey don't exist..unless you mix someting like spider vith human, and add goot amount of bat." Ed answered, and shot his glare at George, fairly certain the voice belonged to one of the two anyway. "Most depraved form of Alchemy. To do such tings."

"Wait wait." Hermione said. "You're alive. That means the grave is empty. Has to be. It belongs to your family or something, that's all..."

Ed looked at Hermione, and then to the others, wishing the questions would stop. His eyes settled on Mrs. Weasley, and he skewed his eyebrows in a silent plea.

"Come on you lot." She said, and began to urge them out.

"...Right..?" Hermione finished.

Ed gritted his teeth as the compelled answer came out.

"No. I tink I am in the grave."

"That's enough..!" Mrs. Weasley said desperately.

" ..De me that vas of dis side of de gate." Ed continued. " I didn't mean to, didn't vant it to happen. But.. I vas de reason he died. He vouldn't have been in daat field, vouldn't have been caught in daat crash, if I hadn't fell into his body and walked us dere."

Ed swallowed his bile, rolled to his side and folded into a tight ball as the silence in the room stretched.

"Harry..Come on.." Ed heard Mrs Weasley say.

"Ed.. You mean..you..jumped into some else's body? Like you said your dad..?" Harry said softly.

"Vasn't like dat. Not exactly." Ed said mechanically. "So confusing..Dere vas dis battle. Vith Master Alchemist. Fighting for both my life and my brodder's. She did dis someting vith a baby. Tossed him into de air like he vas noting..It opened de gatevay. I vas thrown through.. Torn apart.. MILLIONS.. of black hands... Den I avoke here. Dis place vhere noting. Noting vorks...No Alchemy..."

"Let's go." Ron said in nearly a whisper.

Ed heard the door squeak closed. It only then that he breathed out a shaking breath.

"..Don't know vhy it vorks now." 


	60. Babble

A/N: Thanks for reading.. And of course the reviews...!  
-Break-

The young man with long dull brown hair tied into a single braid pulled another thick, dust covered book off the shelf. He flicked the cover open, scanned a few select pages, and soon discarded the item at the growing pile at his feet. Then went on to the next in line as he had been doing for most of the day.

He didn't notice, and really didn't care, about the frustrated frown of the shopkeeper shot in his direction. He was determined to find what he was looking for, and nothing would deter him.

Hours passed, and soon enough, it was closing time. Huge pile of discarded books at his feet, search just as fruitless this day as it had been nearly a month now, Ed picked up a book to purchase, ( this one with the title of "Charmed, I'm Sure"), and made his way to the counter with both shoulders slumped. Not really caring of the price the shopkeeper would demand, he half listened as it was gruffly declared. And withdrew his payment from his long coat.

The gold coin, called a galleon, which was worth far beyond the meager price the shopkeeper had asked, only just stopped spinning on the counter by the time Ed stepped out the door, exiting that particular store for the final time.

A few quick glances about him, he easily blended back into the crowd browsing the various shops of Diagon Alley. He spared a passing glance to the moving wanted posters plastered on many of the walls, most of which featured the recent mass breakout of prisoners nearly like it was cause for a celebration.

After a few moments of looking at a skull faced woman's screaming image, he shook his head at the display and moved on.

Soon enough, he walked the London streets blending easily among "Muggles". For that was, in truth, what he was.

As Ed looked about him, alert for anything, knowing well he was a target for another maniac, "a dark wizard" of all things this time, his mind wandered to the recent events that had isolated him once again.

-dun dun

But for the cheery fire crackling at the hearth, the place was quiet. It had been for several hours now.

Long blond hair hanging freely about his shoulders, unruly bangs a curtain over his golden eyes, Ed put both feet firmly on the ground and rose from the narrow bed. Scowling at the scar-faced man sitting casually in the chair by the table, Ed snatched his trousers from a neat pile by the hearth.

"Molly. Looks like the potion's worn off." Moody growled loudly.

"Ed dear..?" Mrs. Weasley called. He busied himself with the many buttons of his long sleeved shirt. When he did not answer, she came closer.

"Ed..?" She said. "Hungry..? There's some sandwiches left and.. "

Ed glowered at her a moment, then grumbled, "No tank you. I vill not be staying."

"I can see you think that, boy.." "Al" said carefully.. Almost calculated in tone. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to go just yet."

"Am I PRISONER? AGAIN?" Ed yelled, both hands fisted at his sides.

"Al" adjusted his grip upon his staff as he stood up from the table.

"Maybe it's from the huge loads magical energy you channel. I just know it's far too much for a wizard, much less a Muggle like you to handle. Ask me, that much energy is bound to mess with anyone's head. Wait for Dumbledore, boy. He'll be by soon to check up on you."

"Vone: Daat Dumbledore is NOT my guardian. I AM. Dat means I make my own decisions. " Ed said. "Two: I am not crazy. Do not dare say I am insane just because you cannot accept vaat dat serum made me reveal. "

"What's.." Mr. Weasley said, entering the room bleary eyed. "..Whatever's happe..?"

"Later, dear." Mrs. Weasley said softly. "Edward, please..let's.."

To Mrs. Weasley, he said cuttingly, soft and low. "Do I have to be fighting my vay out?"

She widened her eyes, and, for the moment, said nothing more.  
He then turned his glare again to "Al" as he slipped on his vest and belt. He flicked his eyes as he heard the door squeak open. It was Sirius, joining them.

"I see the gang has formed...well, shall I get the brands ready? I'm sure that mum has some stashed someplace thanks to my dear cousin. We can all become Death Eaters now if we really REALLY give it a good go..." Sirius said, voice dripping with sarcasm, then turned his gaze to Ed.

"Ed..let me be the first to apologize for what happened last night. " Sirius said. "I know it's not going to be nearly enough.."

Ed scowled, certainly not liking the offer at all, but gave a small nod.

"Don't you dare compare us with that lot Black..""Al" growled with a unflattering scowl of his own.

"Moody, as far as I can tell, only the simple fact that Edward here is far more powerful, and skilled, than anyone suspected is making the worst of you come out."

"He's cracked.." Moody growled "'Jumping bodies'.. ? This.. other nonsense.. Only Dark Wizards DO that sort of rubbish..which case I'm fully justified to treat him as I please. Like that Snape. Reformed Death Eater, my..."

"Merlin's beard! Ed hasn't done us a lick of harm." Mrs. Weasley added.

Ed slipped on his long coat, first one sleeve, then the other. The turned away from the group, noticing they stepped closer together.

"In fact, he's been..well..quite help.." Mr. Weasley began, but stammered to a stop when he shot a quick look at Mrs. Weasley.

"Yet." "Al" said. "..I tell you.. he's just binding his time..! Last thing we need is anoth dark wizard..!"

Ed had his hand on wood of the door.

"Kept mum frightened enough to act civilized..even towards me." Sirius said. "Now. Can we stop treating him all shabby? We do have a real enemy out there, you know. One that happens to want Ed just as badly, if not more so, than...Where'd..?"

Ed heard no more of the argument, having used it for the distraction it was.

He was walking along the street by the time anyone, even the ever vigilant "Al", had turned about.

-dun dun

Ed spotted an oddly dressed woman..with a shock of short pink hair less than a block away, and turned into a narrow alley. He knew it was too easy..especially when the girl in question walked by, completely unaware of his presence. With the massive amount of jewelry, mostly nose rigs that connected to all sorts of painful-looking gear attached her ears and even her skull, he judged that she looked far too normal, after a fashion, to be his true tail.

No longer trusting the openness of the streets, he turned and darted down the alley; jumping fences, and leaping clear of the various bins of garbage in his path; managing it all with an easy stride that nearly made him smile.

"Feel so..liiiight. Whoa!" Ed said aloud as he maneuvered, nearly losing his balance entirely on an impromptu hand spring that had more force to it than he needed. He even snickered as he staggered, weaving about a bit like a drunk.

"Carbon fiber..ha! Neber gets old, vhat a great idea..!"

He didn't notice the large black dog amongst the many many strays that inhabited the area. It was certainly not the only large black dog, but it was the only one that loped along after him, nearly matching his pace.

-Break-

Now weeks into the new year, Harry rubbed his prickling scar in irritation as he dreaded his next session with Snape. Hermione sat across from him, silently reading through the newspaper. Ron looked at him in sympathy as he leaned his chin into his hand.

"So..." Ron began, then swallowed and looked about him. "Um..Snape..."

"Yeah..It's awful." Harry said. "Really..awful. Would like to talk about something else. Please. Just about anythi.."

"Ed...?" Hermione suggested hopefully, as she laid the paper flat on the table.

"Not the nutter." Ron said with a wrinkled nose. "Full of rubbish..or worse.. into the darkest of Dark Arts I've ever ... "

"Yeah." Harry said. "Not him, ok. I don't even want to think about what he said.."

Hermione looked hard at Harry for the longest time, then Ron.

"You're not being fair. We've got to... Well, you've heard this rumor going around that he's got this plague.. And that's how he lost.."

"About Quidditch..um.." Ron said.

Hermione rolled her eyes, took out a parchment and pen form her bag, and turned away as Ron launched himself into something of a rambling complaint. Harry only half listened as it was the usual, something about how Ron was so awful that he should be kicked off the team entirely.. Harry found he wished he could be so lucky hours later..

"..Legilimens!"

Harry was shut in the cupboard, hidden away from the view of the house guests just outside.

He saw Cho approaching him on the green...

He was at the doorway, looking into the room that was the white field of.. nothing... where Ed stood before a massive thing with a carving upon the front that resembled a strange sort of tree...

He was in a dark hallway..at the end of which was a door...

The mental assault ceased so abruptly..so suddenly.. he felt a sharp pain in his knees, then realized he had hit the floor once again.

He looked up into Snape's cold hateful glare as he panted, and watched as, ever so slightly, a single eyebrow rose.

"Tell me. That thing in the white." Snape said.

"Boggart." Harry gasped.

"Interesting. I had forgotten. You and he have something of a friendship. Being fellow Gryffindors, it would be reasonable to assume you would know how he is fairing."

Harry stared hatefully at the man. Then realized Snape was waiting for him to say something.

"I wouldn't know..sir." He said, careful to add the required title a bit too belatedly.

Snape nodded a small sharp nod, and his wand rose at the ready once more.

"Again."

Harry climbed back to his feet and tried desperately, once again, to clear his mind of emotions. Which, at the moment, he rather imagined was as easy as removing an arm.

"Ready. One. Two..."

-Break-

Ed jumped off the large bin, and finally grasped the ladder above. Then pulled himself up, just so, to the wired landing.

He then looked about once more. Seeing no one, and most certainly feeling no sort of active array, he scratched twice on the painted over window, squatted, and rested his forearms upon his thighs.

He nearly jumped into brick wall in surprise as a mottled brown owl swooped down from above to land on the railing beside his head. It noisily squawked in complaint, and held out its leg.

Ed gingerly removed the letter, tied a bit too tightly with a pink ribbon. Ed scowled at the letterhead in the dim light. It read..

From the Office of the High Inquisitor..

"Oy wee luddite. You really DO use those..?"

Ed looked sharply to the window, vein in his temple throbbing.. Seeing it was still firmly shut, he replied. "No. Iz from somevone I vant noting to do vith."

Ed savagely tore the letter into tiny pieces, and let the debris fall below.

"Can't believe someone found you.." The voice said. "No good .."

Ed sighed. He knew that meant that this place, this ..Muggle.. safe house, would be cleared out within the hour. Displacing at least a hundred desperate souls, all because of him.

"..Luck mate."

"Yeah." Ed replied, and frowned. Not liking the fact that making use of the term "Muggle" had occurred to him at all.

He leaped clear of the railing and dropped himself to the bin below with a resounding crash. On the ground once more, he looked about, and, still seeing no one, sat down leaned the back of his head against the cold metal with a small "tonk".

"Vhat lousy... Fukken Toad." Ed said. "Vhere else..tink.."

He heard a whine, looked, and saw a black shape just a bit bigger than himself. The shape whined again, and shrunk down. A moment later, the shape became a large dog with the shaggy-ist black coat. Ed watched it belly crawl towards him, whining the whole way.

Ed snorted at its antics. "You again. Sorry. No food."

Another whine, and Ed held out his left palm before the beast's nose. The dog licked his hand with gusto.

"...suppose I could go to hostel.. No..bad idea.. If I'm being vatched as close as last time.. Tch. Envy could be anyting. Eben you, you mutt."

Another whine. Ed scratched the ears, and ruffled the fur about the neck.

"Nah.. He stinks. Like someting DEAD...You don.."

Ed leaned the back of his head back on the metal, heard the soft "tonk", and relaxed his shoulders. He flowed his golden eyes about the alley, and let out a breath in a cloud.

"Stupid. Dream vorld ..Just vhen I figure someting out..it flies from my grasp. Last bookstore on street, and noting. Keep setting off alarms in Knockturn Alley (..got to find vay avround dose.. )..."

The dog whined, and Ed scratched it at the shoulders idly.

"Just know I can't use de Gate.. Equivalence might reverse vat I did...Put Al back into dat tin can..only to be rejected..to die.. He doesn't deserve daat."

Ed smiled somewhere between a smirk and a frown at the thought of his brother, then looked to the stars, and heard the hallow "tonk" sound again as he thunked his skull against the cold metal.

Then chuckled.

".. Let me see.. How vould it translate ...um.. Mustang's easy. Lazy bastard has easy name. pft. But mine.. All metal..? Full steel? Or vould reverse be best.. Alchemist of Steel? Tch...English.."

Ed cleared his throat, and took a breath.

".. Alchemist of Steel, famous national alchemist of the people, gone all mad, choosing to abandon all reason, eben study magic..."

At this Ed pulled out the Charm book, and looked wryly at the cover. Ed shook his head and pocketed the book. Then rubbed his left forearm, where the scar of the remaining array was.

"But den, me eben being alive disproves equivalence.. May as vell BE dis.." Ed wrinkled his nose. "..magic.."  
Ed pulled his knees up to his chin, folded his arms onto his knees. After a moment, the dog curled up next to him.

-Break-

Harry landed on the floor once more, and panted, head fit to burst with pain that he tried to hold in with both hands.

There came a pounding on the dungeon door.

"That will be all for today, Potter." Snape said evenly. "Do get up. And continue practicing. Every night, be certain to clear your mind."

Harry heard the rustling of Snape's robes, and, after a few moments, the squeak of the hinges as a door closed.

"Enter." Snape's voice sounded so distant to his ears at that moment.

Harry then realized Snape was entirely out of the small room in which they held these sessions, and rose his head.

Before him sat the pensieve on the desk, glowing with a silvery light.

Harry staggered to his feet. Whispery bits of smoke-like liquid drawing his eyes, floating about the watery surface, and before he knew it, really, he was standing over the basin.

He looked to the door. Listened intently with all his might.

Snape could wander in at any moment.. It would be a huge risk to take.. Looking in on Snape's thoughts.

Curiosity burned within him, and he wondered just what it was that Snape removed from his head at the start of each session.

He leaned down, and lifted his wand. He saw only a few silvery bits within.. Harry dipped the tip of his wand in the waterish stuff and gave it a stir.

He found he was looking down at confusion.. A flash of red within a city he didn't know.. A pile of grave markers.. Dark tunnels filled with what he could only describe as monsters.. The jumbled scenes flashed by much like what he experienced in his own mind in these sessions. He gave the water another stir.

He looked down at darkness. What looked to be bloody carcasses were hanging all about below him, and a small light was off to the side. Harry looked again to the door, and then, on impulse, dipped his nose into the water-like substance.

He felt the stomach wrenching sensation of flipping a somersault midair, then..he was standing in the dark room. First thing he noticed was a puff of breath.. It was from a girl. Long blond hair obscuring her face, she hung by her bound wrists amongst what were indeed bloody carcasses. Most were some sort of large animal..

Harry slapped a hand to his mouth to keep from retching when he saw the ones that were not, and looked back at the girl. Watched as her head raised up...and in the low light...

Harry gasped at the tear streaked, but most definitely NOT the dreamy-vague face of Luna Lovegood. If anything, the face was full of fear, eyes wide with panic ..looking at something that was behind..

Harry heard delighted laughter.. And the sound of a familiar language he didn't understand. He turned around.

The hair was short cropped, and the shoulders wide.. But the face was all Umbridge. Beady eyes and a wide smile as insane as Harry remembered seeing on Barty Crotch, Jr in his trial.

This ..person.. squatted down beside a small boy with long blond hair tied back into a single braid. This boy had one arm, the left, chained to a chair behind his back... The right..didn't look quite proper.

Harry stepped carefully around trying to see what was so off.

The delighted laughter again, Like honey-sweet bells, followed by a sharp metallic click and a pained squeal. Harry looked to the noise.

Though no older than a first year.. Unruly bangs and all.. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that the boy in the chair was Ed.

"Umbridge" had a firm hold of his metal right at the shoulder. Another click.. A pained grunt-no.. more like a swallowed scream -And the arm was pulled free from the socket. Umbridge shoved the arm back in, causing another muffled scream from Ed. Repeated over and over and over.

Then, he noticed Snape, watching detachedly from the shadows off to the side. Snape looked coldly, right at him, and Harry cringed, icy knot in his stomach, certain he had been caught.

Snape..coolly observing what was an obvious torture to Harry, then walked right THROUGH Harry, as insubstantial as a ghost. Rather than feeling relief that the Snape he saw here was part of the memory, the icy knot within him burned hot with rage.

Ignoring the somersaults his stomach insisted on performing, Harry hurriedly staggered out of Snape's office but moments later, mind reeling with what he had seen.

And the fact that Snape had been involved.

-Break- 


	61. of dreams and hags

A/N: this chappy may be added to or revised a bit in the ext few days. I originally penned Ed fighting off all the deatheaters all! on! his! own!, then I looked at it a few days later and found it didn't pass the charaterzation test. :P

Then I wanted a rita skeeter scene, but thought it a bad idea to introduce a character when I'm supposed to be in the final arc. So there when that bit into the blackhole too.

Was hard to get Dumbledore in my head but I think I managed. Even if he reads to be on the nutter side of things.

Coming up with an end for this lil' fic will be difficult, (cause I don't WANT it to end!) but I am truly working hard to make it a good one.

Thx again for reading and reviewing! -break-

Harry flopped into the chair by the fire, and after a moment, leaned forward and wiped his face. His scar was prickling, yet again, and his stomach bubbled as a bout of cheerfulness washed over him-but all he could think about was the chained up Ed on that chair, trapped with a madman amongst the bloody hanging bodies in that dark dark room.

"I bloody well knew it.." Ron's ears reddened, but the rest of him paled as he flopped into a chair. "..he's really still a Death Eater.. He.."

"Wait.." Hermione said softly, looking just as pale as Ron. "You've been wrong about him before, and this truly does sound terrible, but..Dumbledore trusts him. We have to trust Dumbledore."

"Maybe he doesn't bloody well know about this ..this little hobby of Snape's huh?" Ron said.

"It happened, what, when Ed was 11?12? He's 16 now. So.. 4 years ago...?" Hermione said quietly, "Ed wasn't even IN Hogwarts then.. How'd Snape have the time to.. to go where ever this was?"

"...Four years ago.." Harry said. "But Luna.. She's the same age now as.. as I saw in there.. How's that even possible..?"

"Maybe it wasn't Luna." Hermione said, brown eyes glittering.

"Of course it was." Harry said instantly. "I know what I saw."

"I'm not so sure.. Well you know that.. LOOK.. On his face he gets when Luna.. Whenever she's around..?"

Harry leaned back into the chair, and said a very intelligent.. "Huh?"

"What look?" Ron said, in equal intelligence.

"Honestly." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I asked him about it.. And he told me about someone he said looks a lot like Luna. I joked that she might have a twin at the time, but now..?"

"A twin four years older..'Ione, that doesn't even make sense." Ron said dismissively.

"I'm just saying maybe it was her instead." Hermione said with a shrug. "Besides, whatever happened then, Ed's still with us."

"Maybe that's what..y'know, made him all cracked..like with..well with Neville's.." Ron said softly, unable to bring himself to finish the thought.

Harry frowned, but had to admit the idea did make sense, remembering well Ed's bit back scream in the memory.

"Well..I for one think Snape's out to do the same to you.." Ron added darkly. "These lessons..."

"Ron.!" Hermione said.

"..he's not doing too well, alright?"

"Yeah," Harry said with a cheerful grin then rubbed his prickling scar in irritation and wrinkled his nose. "These lessons seem just to make it worse..He's all cheery right now, and I'm certainly not. "

"Keep at it." Hermione said worriedly. "You really should keep at it.."

Harry's dreams that night, for once, did not involve long corridors that ended in a door.

Running breathlessly in that tiny dark room full of bloody carcasses, he couldn't for the life of him remember where his wand was to even begin to defend himself. What's more, he couldn't even remember a single spell, jinx, or even curse.

He tripped over something, and fell to his land on his hands... He saw the dull lifeless eyes of not only Ed, hanging from bound wrists above, but also of Cedric, laying on the ground next to him.

Harry bolted upright in his bed and gasped for several moments. He slapped his hand to his prickling scar, and skewed his eyes shut. When he opened them, he said to the others a rather hoarse, "Sorry."

That was when he realised he had been screaming.

-break-

He strode down the middle of the crooked street called Knockturn Alley, both hands held easily in his long coat's pockets. His long hair, dyed a dull brown, hung long and loose about his shoulders.

A bookstore was on the right, and he made his way over. Just as he lowered his foot to the sidewalk..Loud and piercing alarms screeched loudly..

Ed grit his teeth against the incredible racket, and took a few involuntary steps backwards. He then felt a hum deep in his chest, and looked wildly about for the source.

He saw a street vendor, a wrinkled old hag with wild and unkempt grey hair, and eyes narrowed hatefully. She was huddled by her wares, (which largely consisted of grisly human remains, he noted), and she had her wand pointed right at him.

"Sweet Muggle meat..." She hissed. "So tasty... tender young..!"

Ed narrowed his golden eyes, and flicked them about quickly. There were several witches on the corner, glaring in his direction, and a group of haughty witches and wizards across the street.

"Do come closer so that I may have you for DINNER..! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS !" The hag hissed.

Ed was in motion before the spell even launched, simultaneously leaping backwards out of harms way, and slapping his palms together while he was in the air. The blast flew by as one of his hands touched the ground.

Blue lightening arched, and by the time he was back to his feet, his favorite spear was held easily in his hands: Metal bat wings acting as a guard, decorative skull embedded at the base of the pointy bit, and a few snakes twining their way down the sturdy shaft.

The hag widened her eyes in surprise, then had the good sense to duck low when he smoothly completed his move, effortlessly tossing the spear right at her monstrous head. It thunked meatily into her display, missing her shaggy mane by centimeters.

"Nah. Tink I vill give you indigestion." Ed stated. "Drop de stick or next vone vill not miss." He added, and splayed his gloved fingers over the ground.

The hag grudgingly complied. "Apologies. Clearly those old Mugglewards must have gone to the centaurs to've been tripped by you ...May I interest you in a bit of rib bone? Or maybe a pinky..?"

"..No tanks.." Ed grunted.

With a last scowl at the bookstore, he turned and stormed his way back to Diagon Alley.

He didn't notice the small, scampering creature with a shining silver paw, slipping along the gutter right behind him. -dun dun-

"After all I have done for you.." Harry heard himself say in a high cruel voice. "I send you out to perform a small favor and here you are before me with empty hands.. You more than disappoint me.. You have FAILED me..!"

"My Lord..Ever do I serve you faithfully." Squeaked a male sniveling voice. "H-he'd kill me before I could..No...P-please..!"

"CRUCIO!" Harry heard a woman say, and the screams that followed echoed long in his ears. "I should think you of all people, Wormtail, would worry far more about what I would do..."

"I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!" The screaming squeak of a voice wailed.

"Are you a wizard or not? Pathetic coward. You turn my stomach. Can't even manage to retrieve a foolish Muggle who trespassed onto a clearly pureblood street!" A female voice snapped. "Tell ME where he went, and I.."

"A Muggle..?" Harry said, in and undertone of anger.

"There were witnesses.." The female voice replied with an air of authority. "He set off the Muggleguards. All. Of the Muggleguards."

"No. No. There IS no doubt that he is pure..." Harry said angrily just as the squeaking voice gasped.

"He's with Siri.."  
Clunk!

Harry startled at the sound and lifted his now damp head from the table. He blearily knuckled at his eye as he looked first at the fallen glass before him, then about the Great Hall.

It was a few days past the second Hogsmead weekend, and all he wanted to do was forget all about his disastrous date with Cho. .. He was sure he had done something wrong, but no matter how his thoughts whirled about, he couldn't figure it.

Harry's scar felt like it could split his skull in two as he held his head up with both hands. Ron flopped down next to him, plate full of food the would have smelled delicious at any other time.

Harry wrinkled his nose and turned his head away.

"You look ghastly." Hermione said as she too, sat down.

"Feel worse." Harry said with clenched teeth.

"Scar..?" Ron said.

"On the galleon." Harry replied.

"Habben'tleptmcheibber." Ron said, mouth apparently stuffed full of food.

"Well, between the nightmares of that.. ROOM," Harry said, knowing they'd remember something of what he'd told them already, "..and that boring door dream, I haven't had much to really look forward to when I close my eyes, ok?"

"No need to bite our heads off.." Hermione said.

"I BLOODY KNOW!" Harry snapped. "It's not.. It's not me. Please..just."

"Well.. This should cheer you..Toad's half out of her mind trying to grab all the Quibblers now that she's got the ban posted."

Though he was glad to finally have the real story out, it was published in the alternative newspaper called the Quibbler, which also published all sorts of rubbish stories as well.  
It meant that, although he had told the truth about Voldemort, (and was, once again, serving a weeks worth of detentions with the pink toad because of it), it wouldn't necessarily be believed by anyone.

"Bloody great."

"No really. This is the surest way that everyone's going to read it now." Hermione said.

"Right." Harry said unenthusiastically.

"Harry, about that.. Memory." Hermione said. "I've been reading..been thinking..and, um.. "

Harry glared at her, willing her to spill out whatever she had to say before his head split in two. Her brown eyes looked steadily at his own.

"Well I..about Snape.. What if he didn't really...I mean..uh..He's able to use legilimens right?" Hermione said. "What if it was really just a copy of Ed's memory you saw in there? What if he was there..in that room.. Only because he had looked into Ed's head?"

"'Ione! Don't be defending that greasy git!" Ron said. "If Harry says he was doing what he was doing, then that's what he was doing, alright?"

Harry laid his head on the table, and listened blithely as the two merrily squabbled on.

Soon enough, he headed up to the dorms, climbed wearily into bed, and closed his eyes.

He found himself surrounded by bloody corpses hung from the ceiling in a tiny room, and saw the blank, lifeless eyes of Ron, Hermione, Ed, and many others.

He ran, blindly, off into the dark until he could only see the puffy clouds of his own breath. He looked about, saw not a single hanging body at all.. And slowed.

Before him was a dimly lit hall.. At the end of which was a door. He walked down that way, draw to it by curiousity. Would he finally see what was beyond it..? Oddly calm now, he placed his hand on the door. It swung open smoothly, without a single sound.

Beyond the doorjam he saw a white plain that seemed to stretch on into forever.

A being, made of the white, formed before him. It was the same height as he was, and even had a semblance his cowlick standing on end at the top of what would be its head. It smiled a mad smile, full of nothing.

"Hello Wizard..."

Something snapped within, and he felt as if he were flying through the air faster than he had ever managed to do by broomstick.

Harry startled awake, breathless but yet breathing hard. He stared at the darkness of his bed canopy. He listened to his own labored breathing for several moments, then sat up to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

That was when he realised that, for the first time since Voldemort's return, his scar was not prickling.

-dun dun-

Sopping wet, mind whirling about his many failed attempts to quietly enter any bookstore on that cursed street, he strode down the steps that lead to what largely amounted to his home.

Ed sighed a contented sigh as he glanced about: There were not many people about in this weather, but at least this underground train station was warm and dry.

He had his long hair, (now dyed black), pulled back into a pony tail; unruly bangs hiding his distinctive golden eyes from view. He wore a long, boring brown, but very warm, coat that covered a white long sleeved shirt, grey vest and brown slacks. And, of course, gloves were, as ever, on both hands.

Ed widened his eyes as he stepped down the last of the steps. There.. In amongst a huddled group clustered about the train schedule was a tall man.. Grey bowl hair cut, eyes tending toward a permanent squint, and a square jaw.. Ed knew he didn't know the man, but..

He felt something of a vibration deep in his chest.

..The lights flickered, and he forced his eyes off the too familiar looking stranger. As he searched about he saw other clusters of people... Some sitting, some standing.. Not a one was aggressive or shaking so much as a stick at him.

"Hello Edward.. May I, by any chance, have a word with you..?" Ed heard on his right.. The voice familiar...

..And old.

Ed spared a quick glance to confirm what his ears told him, noted that the man wasn't alone. A familiar large black dog of no particular breed stood as his side, wagging it's tail in a hopeful way.  
"What vill you give me...?" Ed said carefully.

"At the very least, an offer of my friendship." Dumbledore said carefully.

"Friendship." Ed said, like he was tasting the word. "Ah.. Funny daat. Friends like daat I don..."

Ed glanced back at the familiar stranger. 'Falman.. He walks like Falman.' he thought.

"You look like, what's the saying..? Ah yes.. Like you've just seen a ghost."

"Ghosts don..." Ed began automatically... Then dragged his eyes back once 'Falman' was beyond his sight. "..Don exist. Least de vones dat valk dhrew valls... Anyvay. Dhanks for de offer.."

Ed turned and placed his foot on the first to the steps.

"Powerful. Though you most certainly are, perhaps more so than even myself, I fear that it is only a matter of time before either Tom ..."

"Who is dis 'Tom' you speak of..?" Ed flicked his gaze back to Dumbledore.

"I..he is a former student of mine.. Quite brilliant. One who has long ago lost his way to darkness. You would know him by the name he created for himself. That is to say, Lord Voldemort."

Ed nodded, then frowned. He noticed Dumbledore was watching him with some scrutiny, blue eyes glittering behind the halfmoon glasses.

"I am not afraid of Voldmort." Ed said, and looked steadily at Dumbledore. "In fact, if he finds me, I vill do everyvone de favor and make sure he ..."

The dog whined worriedly and pawed at the ground.

"I should think it would be for the best for all concerned if you were to not encounter him at all..particularly considering what knowledge is in your possession." Dumbledore said sagely.

"However. He is not your only concern. I dare say that Cornelius is in something of a terrible fright at this time, and is gravely concerned with those impressive displays of yours. I suspect that by this evening you will likely be shouldering the blame for the recent breakout of Azkaban along with Sirius."

The man clasped his hands behind his back and looked off to the ceiling.  
"You have informed Severus that your time as a student at Hogwarts is complete. However, as Headmaster, I am very much aware that Hogwarts is in dire need of a highly skilled Alchemy.. consultant.., one that can tutor the advanced students through the basics of the difficult subject." Dumbledore said.

"I have no vish to.."

"The position..," Dumbledore interrupted, ".. of course, would require full library privileges, beyond the High Inquisitor's present authority to curb."

Ed looked down a moment, and took his foot off the stairs. Then looked hard at Dumbledore, but the man did not bother to meet his gaze.  
He then flicked his eyes to the dog. He narrowed his eyes.

"A prison. Like vaat Sirius is forced to..." Ed muttered.

"True.. However, it is also an opportunity for you to reach your goal in safety.." Dumbledore said. "From what I was able to fathom from the, say, unfortunate breach of trust, you are a rather FAR way from your home."

Dumbledore's gaze slid over to the train schedule, strode over and gave it a once over, looking down at it from the tip of his nose.

"Which is to say it is unreachable through the usual means. What's more, I surmise that, in spite of what you may have told Alastor of your intentions, your true wish is to return there. That is, if the, ah, evidence of what remains of my courtyard is any indication."

"Vhat do YOU get out of dis. Helping me?" Ed said sharply. "Noting iz free, vhat is it you vant?"

Dumbledore raised his brows. He then took a deep breath, then let it out. In that moment, the man looked ancient.. As if the weight of his years had finally settled on him. His glittering blue eyes met Ed's gold.

"Several months ago, you faced a boggart for the very first time. Both Mrs. Weasley and Severus have shared much about it with me. Both about what you believed you were preventing ...and something of what you faced." Dumbledore said, "You. Apparently hold some knowledge that I very dearly wish to possess. Regarding the lost art of bringing back the dead .."

"I zee." Ed said, swallowed his bile, and looked away. Suddenly very much aware of just how much his stumps ached, he folded his arms and absently rubbed at the ache in his right port. He remained silent for several moments.

"My apologies. I see now this is a painful subject for you and that I have surely overstepped my.."

"Knowledge... For knowledge." Ed stated firmly, quickly, and looked back to the man. "Dat iz equivalence. Vould love to access daat library of yours..."

"Splendid."

-break- 


	62. evaluations

-

-break

His long blond hair held back into a single braid, unruly bangs hiding his golding eyes, Ed warily looked about the great hall, following Dumbledore as the man made his way to the high table using the staff entrance.

Ed hadn't bothered with hated!robes, choosing to wear his long sleeved white shirt, vest, and slacks instead for this occasion, a fact that made Professor Mcgonagall frown in disapproval when she glanced his way. He fiddled with his gloves as he regarded the rest of the staff..

..Feeling the usual twinge of being out of place... A feeling that only fueled his determination to find a way home...

A quick glance told him most of the students were busily tucking in, as it should be this early in the morning, and hadn't so much as looked up from their plates.

Ed moved to a free spot at the table roughly across from Severus. The man's upper lip curled back in distaste, but also moved to sip his morning tea- an act that made it difficult for Ed to judge if the expression was truly directed at himself.

"Do you wish for me to make the announcement, Edward..?" Dumbledore said.

Ed startled at the familiar rhythms of Amestrian coming so flawlessly from the man, then noticed the seething looks he was receiving - the pink monstrosity glared at them both. Ed leveled his own glare straight back at her, and replied, also in Amestrian.

"Frankly, I'm not so sure that teaching Alchemy to anyone in this place is such a great idea. You are all so.. gleefully dependent.. On this stuff you call magic.."

Ed shook his head in dismay, then flicked his eyes back to Dumbledore's twinkling blues, and switched back to English as the pink toad stalked within hearing range.

"It has long been tradition to find your own teacher for goot vreason. Dhis ..tutoring..you vant of me, vill make dem tink dhis far too fukken eazy.."

"Ah.. " Dumbledore interrupted, also using English. "I appreciate your candor...however.."

"Hem hem.." The toad interrupted. "Headmaster, may I ask why this..and I use the term lightly ..student.. Is sitting at the staff table, much less speaking so freely with someone holding an office of such deep importance to the Ministry?"

"Good morning, High Inquisitor Umbridge." Dumbledore greeted with a polite nod. "In answer to your inquiry, Mr. Elric is the Alchemy consultant that Hogwarts, in my humble opinion, has long needed."

"Alchemy?" The toad scoffed."That little half-.."

"Do not. Eber. Call me "little"." Ed growled as he clenched his fists.

"This.. He is but a child.. !" She let out a simpering little laugh. "The Ministry will surely find this appointment highly unacceptable. I have it on good authority that he has yet to take, much less pass, a single O.W.L. .."

"He is, none-the-less, a now member of my staff." Dumbledore said smoothly. "His duties will begin this afternoon- that is, if he feels up to the challenge.."

Ed frowned, then nodded. He bit heartedly into a muffin as Dumbledore approached the podium, and barely listened to the announcement he made to the student body.

Soon after Ed filled his growling stomach, eating quickly yet steadily much like a starving man would, he made his way to the library. Once there, he entered without any trouble and settled into his comfortable, yet rapid, researching rhythm. As usual, he wasn't aware of just how much time had passed as he combed through the various tomes one by one. Just as he discarded one and reached for another, he heard the pink toad's "hem hem" at his shoulder.

Ed spat, "Vhat do you vant." Not even glancing her way as he skimmed.

"Mr. Elric. I am here to evaluate you."

"I doubt daht." Ed said, smoothly flicked the tome shut, and reached for another. "I HAVE been in England nearly a year. But for me to be demonstrating improvement in skills.. "

He flicked the chosen tome open and skimmed some more. "..I do not tink you are anyvhere near qualified nor much of a challenge."

"Whatever are you talking about..?" The toad said sweetly. "You are aware of that your tutoring session is to begin.."

"Ah..dat." Ed said absently, and snapped the book shut. He noted the time by the light shining in the windows, and judged it to be rather too early for the tutoring session. He frowned, not liking what he suspected was happening in the least.

He emerged from the shelves, and glanced to the table where the tutoring was supposed to be taking place. As he had expected, the table was empty...

..except for a lone greasy haired, sneering figure.

Ed slapped the book to the table, and in the resulting clamor, glared at the woman. She smirked at him, triumphant.

"... Clearly lacks the simple maturity to even hold his rather dreadful temper." The pink toad said as she scribbled onto her clipboard.

"Is joke, vright?"

"Hardly." Serverus drolled. "In addition to my other considerable duties, I have the distinct.. displeasure.. of sharing the responsibility of being your Guidance Teacher. I am here by request to ..assist.. the High Inquisitor in her evaluation, as I have some expertise in your subject."

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"You.. Are supposed to be my superior...?" He said softly in Amestrain.

"Hem hem...Mr. Elric was just telling me of a.. "Demonstration of improvement".. Could you explain just what it was you were referring to..?"

"You once asked what my watch meant." Ed said in Amestrian, in a low voice to Severus, much like he was swearing. The man raised a single brow, ever so slightly, but reached a piece of parchment from the pile set before him and studied it with great interest.

Ed then took a breath, glared that the toad, and said.

"You said somting about de O.W.L.s...A vritten exam, followed by a practical demonstration, yes?"

"Correct.."

"And dat is all dey are, yes?" Ed said, "you take it, get your score, and dats all?"

"There ARE also the N.E.W.T. 's as well, if one is qualified enough to sit for them." Severus drolled. "There are very rare instances of those bright enough to pass."

Ed nodded a sharp nod.

"Many study for years and years, and many take it. But very few pass de state exam of my homeland.." Ed said, choosing his words carefully, knowing well he had to convince the toad to take him seriously if he were to access the library at all. He pushed himself off the table and settled easily into parade rest, clasping his hands behind his back.

"I not only passed de state exam, which made me fully certified, but vas only vone recruited for use by de state."

"'Use by the state.?' Tell me, where is it you are from again..?" The toad said as she scribbled onto the clipboard.

"Amestris." Ed said firmly.

"And wh.."

"By law.." Ed continued over her. " ..de certification must be renewed annually."

At this point Ed scowled at the woman.

"..My usual duties in de field.. very like to vat you Ministry call Aurors...I tink." Ed brought his hands from behind his back and splayed his fingers casually at his sides. "So. De assessments I vould need for renewal.. Vould involve mock fighting against dose vith my skills or higher."

The toad looked at him blankly, and for a moment, Ed thought she looked like someone he should recognize- only.. the who it was dangled just out of his reach. As she busily scribbled something onto her clipboard..

Ed heard Severus noisily clear his throat.

"Students will be arriving shortly, and I am rather pressed for time.. Do get on with what you plan to cover, Mr. Elric." Severus sneered.

Ed nodded a sharp nod, and shook his gloved hands out before he reached for a parchment, upon which was a printed chart. This, he handed to the toad, and watched as she looked it over with utter bafflement on her face.

"As you know, Alchemy is very complex. I vill begin vith de basics.. On dat sheet is chart called dhe periodical table of dhe elements... Vith it, I vill demonstrate de four states of matter.."

"Hem hem. Four..states of..what.."

"Gas, liquid, solid. And finally, plasma. Alchemic vreactions are forced along vhile in de plasma state by most practitioners." Ed rattled off matter of factly, and saw Severus look over at him with two slightly raised greasy brows. "..Now. I vill overview de three principles ..and..most importantly..law of equivalent..."

"...Ah! ..Amestris! Of course..!" The pink toad said suddenly. "..Of course.. I am quite familiar with your country, and its ..rather strange.. Magic! Yes.. How can I not be!"

Ed thought her face looked a bit blank.

"I AM the chief undersecretary of the Minister of Magic himself, and, also, a Ministry approved instructor." The toad stammered quickly, and lifted her chin. "As agreed to in the International Statute bylaws 9658-e, f, and g...by request of the headmasters, an exchange.."

Ed lost track of all that the toad stammered excitedly on about, brain not bothering to translate the utter nonsense. He did catch the phase..

"..I must go and inform the Minister at once..!" As the toad smiled wide, and rather blandly, at him. "I look forward to evaluating you further, Mr. Elric..Good day..."

He watched as she strode out the door, and folded his arms.

"Of fighting. Is not wise good thing you said." Severus sneered in careful Amestrian as he stood.

"Yeah.. I know." Ed said softly as he tapped his gloved fake fingers onto his living bicept, thinking. "Can't be helped now."

"That much... Mr. Elric..is obvious."

After a moment, Ed glanced to the sneering man and said.

"Call me Ed."

-break-

It was lunchtime in the great hall, and the trio sat together once again, as was their habit.  
Harry's scar twinged and prickled in a renewed bought of making him a sort of aerial for Voldemort's moods as Hermione filled both Harry and Ron in on what she had just witnessed in the library.

"Let me get this..Umbridge is on him already, and he's not even a professor..?" Harry said, his happiness, mostly due to the piles of letters before him, faded slightly at the thought of Ed, just! hired! by! Dumbledore!, possibly getting sacked by the toad.

"Weren't you listening at all..?" Hermione said. "Ed's the equivalent of an Auror! It makes sense."

"You only have the nutter's word on that." Ron said as he cut into his potato.

"Would explain his missing limbs.." Harry said as he ruffled through his letter pile, carefully avoiding looking directly at the staff table. Ed wasn't there, but the pink toad was. She even scowled at his growing pile of letters.

"Yeah..he IS a lot like Moody...but the rest of it.. That nonsense he said, and that.. Memory you saw.." Ron said. "That reminds me..How was he with the greasy git..?"

"I would say friendly.. Sort of.. Like how the other teachers are .." Hermione said. "I'm for signing up..Ron?"

"No thanks." Ron said. "Pretty dodgy that Dumbledore hired him so quick, y'reckon?"

"No it's not. I think it's a brilliant way to give Ed access to the library again. He was banned by that awful woman, remember?"

"Huh?" Ron said, looking blankly at Hermione.

"Anyway.. Harry?" Hermione said brightly.

"He was ..banned?" Harry said, mouth agape that such a thing was possible.

"How can anyone get banned from a LIBRARY?" Ron said incredulously. "I'd like to know whatever he did so I could.."

"Honestly! I told you.. just before the holidays ..when he was recovering from that-whatever he did in the ...um ..courtyard. She couldn't go and ban him from quidditch like with Harry, (sorry, Harry), because he wouldn't really care. So she went for something else.. Something he.."

"Something he enjoys.." Harry finished darkly with Hermione.

"Now that I think of it.. Maybe that's really why he went to the Muggle one ..instead of looking into..." Hermione said, and leaned her chin into her hand. "..If only I'd.."

"Nutter.." Ron interrupted with rolled eyes, and proceeded to stuff his mouth.

"I think it would do him good to see some friendly faces. Harry? How about it? Want to sign up for tutoring..?" Hermione said.

"Got remedial potions already.." Harry said, and rubbed his pickling scar in irritation. He instantly regretted saying such a thing as Hermione's face fell into a worried frown.

With a sigh, he grabbed another letter, suspecting in that moment that Voldemort's angry mood had influenced him more than he'd like.

"...I'll.. see what I can do.." He added...rather mumbled, letting the words drift off his tongue. With Quidditch out of his reach, Hagrid on probation, and his time with Snape in the dungeon, the only thing Harry was really enjoying anymore was the D.A.

They were beginning work on producing patronuses, and silvery wisps emerged from a number of outstretched wands, when the door was pulled open. Harry, well aware that everyone was present, took in a sharp breath and with widened eyes, glanced over to the intruder..

It was Ed, standing easily with his hands in his pockets as the door swung closed behind him. He was dressed in Muggle clothes, the very same outfit he had on at the breakfast table. The wands lowered, and Harry saw many members slowly backing away from Ed rather fearfully.

He heard the hurried whispers,

"We're gonna get it.."  
"He's a teacher."  
"Shut it. He's not!"  
"Plague..he's got the plague..!"  
"I don wanna loose my arm..!"

"I am here because I promised to train you all in somedhing." Ed said evenly, calmly, over the whispers as his golden eyes roamed about the room. He was so calm, Harry wondered if Ed had heard the whispers at all.

Ed jerked his chin toward Luna's still forming patronus, and added coldly. "Somedhing much more important, I tink, dan making silvery smoke."

Ed walked to the center of the room and stood before Harry. Harry's scar twinged in that moment, and he felt the snakelike hateful longing to strike as Ed met his gaze. Ed narrowed his golden eyes, and tilted his head.

"Harry." Ed said, seeing the hate bubbling within him. "I vill not betray dis club of yours."

"Right." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Have goot plan for vat I.." Ed's eyes widened and he looked down. His feet feeling distinctly icy, Harry couldn't help but do the same.

"Woah.."  
"Did I just..is that..?"

Harry took a step back and heard the distinctive squinching noise from his footsteps that confirmed both he and Ed were now standing upon something very wet, and sticky.

"What. Is that..?" Seamus said.

"Mud..?" Hermione's voice said.  
"Mud." Ed said, a maniacal grin plastered on his face. Harry took more steps back from his possibly insane...friend?

"Dis is convenient... and saves me calculations. Vright. Plan is simple..."

A moments later, Ed went into motion, plunging both hands into the muck. Still grinning that mad evil grin, he darted his golden eyes about, as if for a target while he idly tossed a mudball back and forth between both hands. His eyes settled on a someone off to the side of Harry, and Harry gripped his wand a little tighter.  
Ed let the muck fly, Harry heard several high pitched shrieks from the girls.. And a few cracking voices that had to be the boys.. And one wet sounding splatter quickly followed by a "Yeeluch!" And a few "ewws" which told him Ed had hit his target.

"Fred.. "

"It's George!"

"Tch! You vere just hit vith horrible awful spell..! Pick vone." Ed said, as he pawed another mudball, and smoothly let it fly. "Now. Duck faster."

When nine o'clock arrived, some were more mud covered than others, and most were grumbling as they left.

"..Thought Snape was bad.." Neville said, being one of the ones nearly covered from head to toe in muck. "I think I got the most..."

"Reckon he was aiming for you the most." Ron said darkly, and Harry saw he was nearly a mud covered as Nelville.

"A good scurify, or at least a shower, and you'll be alright. Clear." Harry said in sympathy as he waved them off after a quick glimpse to his map. He looked angrily over at Ed, suspecting Ron was right, only to see most of his face was hidden by his unruly bangs.

Once the door swept shut, he and Ed were the only ones left in the room. With a clap of his hands, and the bright flash of blue, the muck covering Ed became so much dust.

Harry took a breath..

"Dey complain as children vill do." Ed said before he could say a thing. "Babies.."

Harry's temper, always bubbling these days, flared hotly.

"How! How dare..! YOU DON'T KNOW A THING A.."

Ed lifted his head, and Harry swallowed his tirade when he saw his face. The deep worry that warred with sadness and ..now he saw it again, he wondered how he could have forgotten.. something of a heavy heavy weight in Ed's golden eyes that made him look so much older than the age he said he was.  
"I vill tell you my teacher did de same as dis vith both my brodder and me- only she used knives. I vonder now vhich is better vay. "

"Knives..?"

"She VAS butcher's vife.. Very goot aim too." Ed pointed to a faint scar on his cheek, then to one barely visible along his hairline, and frowned.

"Tch. Not vone eben dhought to use sticks." Ed said with a snort. "Vhat have you been teaching dhem anyvay?" 


	63. of reluctance

A/N- Ed.. the reluctant teacher.. I managed to find a video game where he did take an apprentice, but with disaterous results. I may or may not have him mention this in story. Haven't decided. As to whether or not he'll find the werewolf cure.. Teehee. It's all weaving together so nicely.. Reveal will be soon- wizards beware;)

Thx for reading. And OMG IS THAT 1000 REVIEWS?

-break-

The screams and wails echoed through the dust covered shelves, and if he hadn't been hurriedly scribbling down his coded notes at the table at the time, Ed knew he wouldn't have noticed.

As it was, he was underwhelmed with the cause: Professor Trelawney, sobbing madly into her many shawls as she sat upon what looked to be a trunk. The pink toad stood nearby, ugly grin plastered on her face, looking quite pleased with herself.

He folded his arms as he witnessed the scene, watching the pink toad with narrowed eyes - trying to place her with what felt like a memory, but failing. Over and over and over. It was maddening. He knew the information, the data, was there.. Locked in his mind somewhere.

He supposed he must have been staring for some time when his pressure plates alerted him that something restricted his movement. Annoyed that his futile spin of thought was interrupted, he shot a glare to the offender.

It was Hermione, brown eyes full of concern.

"We have to talk." She said, and though she blushed, she glanced quickly about the courtyard.

"Alchemy tutoring.." Ed said. "..Does not begin until tomorr.."

"Tomorrow, I know." She said. "This is..oh, come on."

She tugged, and Ed reluctantly followed along, looking occasionally, and rather longingly, back at the library every few yards as they made their way. Before much time passed, he stood in a drafty, but deserted corridor near the Griffindor tower.

"Vhat?" He spat impatiently, after watching her fiddle her hands and work her jaw for several minutes.

"I wanted to wait for.." Hermione said softly, then sighed. "Remember when you told me about that look you give Luna?"

"Yeah. Zo?" Ed said, and folded his arms.

"Well.. you were looking at Professor Umbridge.. "

Ed narrowed his golden eyes.

"..It's not the same look, I know, more like..loathing if anything, but.." Hermione stammered. "I was just hoping you could tell me.."

Ed lowered his brows and looked down several moments. Silence loomed.

"Sorry. If..if this brings up painful .."

"I cannot say who she reminds me of..." Ed said slowly, carefully, and interrupting Hermione. Ed with a shake of his head. "It's just dere, but out of vreach. Vhat do you mean by saying" bring up painful.."?"

"I..I was just sure that with that look you gave that it was someone really..really awful or ..or something." Hermione finished softly.

"Pink toad herself is plenty nuff, I tink, for me to hate." Ed wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Mustang vay better in comparison. Tch.."

"Hate is a rather strong.. Um..Mustang?"

"Yeah..." Ed waved the name off like it left a bad smell. "Hate her eben more for making me admit daat bastard vas good at someting besides avoiding vork."

He saw Hermione raise her brows, and grinned widely.  
"Hey... Forget I even mentioned de bastard!"  
By morning, he had yet to leave the library, and only dashed off intending to fill his grumbling pit of a stomach...

...And to swig down at least two gallons of the strongest coffee Hogwarts could conjure... (A feat which had Severus raising his sneering brows..and the corners of his mouth twitching.)

Dressed in a longsleeved dress shirt that he had grabbed after dribbling a good bit of said coffee on himself- a black one that he didn't bother to tuck in, much less button thoroughly- he stood and stretched easily, catlike.

He was surrounded by high piles of selected tomes and his many coded notes, all strewn about long table in the library. As he looked blearily though the curtain of his unruly bangs, and he noticed he wasn't as alone as he thought.

There were two Ravenclaw seventh years he didn't know just walking up, (taller than he was by at least a head, he noted with annoyance). Hermione pushed the door to the library in before he could scowl, followed distantly by the Ravenclaw known as Cho. Luna wandered in as well, looking like she had done so completely by accident..( and he was very very careful not to look directly at her). Lastly, surprisingly, was Draco Malfoy, looking quite surly and rather reluctant. Ed noted he was, as ever, flanked by his usual two cronies.

'By the light filtering through those windows..' Ed thought, then eased to his feet. 'It's mid-afternoon.. Which means..'

"Vright. You all are here to be tutored by me." Ed stated softly to the group, mindful of the frowning librarian, who was nearly hovering over his research in her effort to protect her precious books. Some of the heads nodded, and Ed frowned himself.

"Vell, iz bigger group dan I vanted." Ed said, "To begin.. dhis should be alvready familiar to you. If not, den should be memorized..I varn you now dat I vill not allow any messing about.. "

As he passed out the parchments with the printed chart, he noticed that the pink monstrosity had also made her entrance, ever present clipboard in hand. She stood rather close to Draco, and both were whispering about something as she scribbled onto her clipboard.

He glanced over at the frowning librarian.

"Madam Pince, could you make sure novone messes vith vhat I have here..?" She wrinkled her nose, but gave a short bob of her head.

-break-

Ed breathed deeply when he reached the clearing before one of the few ground level classrooms. After convincing himself that he needed this, this break, he opened his golden eyes..

He looked to the sky, a gorgeous blue, the trees across the way, and finally to the large dirt patch between two sways of grasses.

He directed the group sit on the dirt patch, and though they clearly didn't like the idea in the least, most of them did so.

Draco and his two followers folded their arms in unison, refusing to sit at all. Ed snorted in amusement at them, picked up a stick from the ground, and squatted before the gathered group.

'Now to out-wait them..' Ed thought as he watched his charges twitch. 'Should have more patience than they do..'

Knowing he was completely unable to sit and do NOTHING, but figuring it didn't matter, he idly drew in the dirt.

Hermione's hand shot up. And he jerked his chin at her without looking up. "Shoot."

"Um professor.."

"Ed, Hermione. I am no professor."

"Um.. Are we going to start the tutoring now..?"

Ed smirked, and continued drawing. "You've only..." Hermione gestured, holding the chart in one hand."..given us a..

"..Muggle science chart..?" Cho said. "Chemistry..I think.."

"I have given you a chart that holds all the known states and forms of matter in de vorld. Dat you need to know by heart before ve eben get to de basics."

"I thought this was for wandless magic..not some useless Muggle rubbish.." Ed heard and scowled, not bothering with where or who had said it.

In time, Ed stood up, and looked down at his handywork, and wrinkled his nose. "Vandless magic.." Ed mused aloud, and continued on with great swipes of his stick. "Rubbish. Vreally."

Time passed.. Some of his charges whispered amongst themselves, he heard some get up, stomp and complain how bored they were. The wind breezed though, and as simple design drawn in the dirt neared completion, Ed found he was surrounded by silence.

Hoping his ploy had worked, and utterly bored with what he was doing, he glanced up and was disappointed to see the group still there. All standing, quietly watching, even curious - Draco and his goons in particular stood rather too close to the runes he had just scribbled.

Ed frowned and completed the last of the runes.

"That.. I've seen that.."

"I think I've seen that design somewhere in McGonagall's office.." The dreamy voice of Luna said vaguely.

"A perfect circle..?" Draco drolled. "Only the mad can draw.."

"Vandless magic..." Ed interrupted loudly in irritation, easily speaking over the boy. Careful to leave the circle unfinished, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, and scowled at himself. He knew now he had failed to bore them out of tutoring, and he was now stuck with them.

"..Also called Alchemy. Dere are several rule you vill need to be aware of to practice such a ting safely.

"Like vhat you know as Transfiguration, it can be dangerous. Eben deadly.. Unlike Transfiguration, you cannot reverse what you do. Not easily, anyvway. Dhree principles you need to know are.. "

Ed spoke as they hurriedly took notes on parchment.. The two seventh year Ravenclaws even had their pens writing for them as they looked over his work on the ground.

Ed looked away from the unnerving sight.. And noticed that the pink horror was missing. Instead, he spotted a chimera.. One that looked to be a horse fused with a man, watching from the open classroom door. "Firenze" his mind provided as he waited for the students to finish writing. His torso had what looked to be a deep hoof shaped bruise.

"Finally.. And most important of de laws.. Ve come to de law of conservation. Also called equivalent exchange. Like you all have learned with potions, you cannot create someting from nodhing."

Ed had a passing, evil, thought..

"..If you eber try.. "

Ed removed the glove on his right, unbuttoned and removed the sloppy black dress shirt and stood barechested. He held up his mechanical arm, knowing the stoopid belt strapped across his chest covered much of his surgery scars. He half hoped they would leave.. Even willed them to leave from the fear of such a thing happening..

"...You vill end up de same as me, or vorse."

He heard several intakes of breath, and he swallowed his bile as he met and held each of their eyes... He saw determination in most...Draco's eyes in particular were wide with fright.. As were his goons..

He then gestured for Draco to back up. The boy hurriedly back pedaled as the false hand brushed close to his arm. Draco pushing far past his goons, who likewise back pedaled nearly as quickly, and fell over themselves in their hurry.

Ed turned and gestured for the others to give him space.. Receiving a much calmer reaction. Only then did he complete the circle.

"Next meeting, if dere is time, ve vill look at simple equations. If your vands have not made you flabby, each of you should be able to at a least activate a simple array such as dis."

With that, Ed touched both hands just outside the outer circle, and let the energy flow. Blue lightening flashed wildly upwards, a great wind blew from below, raising a considerable amount of reaction fog, and a deafening boom! rang out into the air.

"Bunny!" Luna's voice called out delightedly as the natural breeze blew the fog away.

Ed smiled somewhere between a smirk and a frown, carefully broke the circle, then retrieved the stuffed animal from the shallow depression in the center. He tossed the silly thing to Winry's double, and was rewarded with a wide, though rather vague, grin as she caught it, in expertly, in the crook of both her forearms.

Ed then tore his eyes away to focus on the task at hand.

- kicking the runes and destroying the circle completely...

Unaware that Draco had watched the entire exchange with a wide unpleasant smile, like it was the most fantastic thing he had ever encountered.

-break-

Studying in the Griffindor common room, Harry listened as Hermione filled him and Ron in on the latest with Ed, and skewed his eyes upwards in confusion.

"Blimey.. So.. He didn't lose his limbs like Moody did then..?" Ron said, equally confused.

"So how come they don't..regrow them?" Harry said, remembering well his own missing arm one year. "If dark magic wasn't involved then it really should work.."

"No idea. He says.. I think alchemy isn't quite..." Hermione said. "Oh that's creepy. I don't think alchemy is Dark.. He certainly didn't hurt anyone when he conjured the stuffy..."

Harry chewed the inside of his cheek, and pretended to read the same paragraph for several minutes before he took a breath to speak.

"Firenze said something.. When he looked out the door while we were doing that incense reading stuff.." Harry said. "Something about the lost golden race was never to return..."

"Reckon he was lookin' at Ed at the time..?" Ron said with a smirk. "Y'know, his gold eyes an all?"

"Think so.." Harry said with a grin.

Hermione looked thoughtful, then said.

"Never thought of that. Makes sense that a centaur would bring it up, though...It's in the History of Macedonia, from the region where centaurs came from...goes like: There was the first race of people.. Called the golden ones... But they all vanished in one night without a trace.. "

"Vanished.." Harry said. "Like with the spell?"

"..An entire.. people..." Ron said

"No.. I mean I'm not sure it would work. Hermione said. "I-It's one thing for spilled potions.. But an entire person...?"

After a few moments.. Harry stood up.

"I reckon if it were possible..Voldemort would have done it by now." Harry said, ignoring the exaggerated shivers coming from Ron at the mention of the name.

The next night, Harry was the first to the room for the D.A, and was busily setting up what he and Ed had planned. As he noticed a great puddle of mud forming in the center of the room, his scar prickled painfully. He watched Ed, then grew concerned as he noticed the blond walk rather slumped shouldered.

Unruly bangs hiding most of his face in shadow, his long hair pulled back into a ponytail, Ed wore a longsleeved black dress shirt that was hardly buttoned, much less tucked-in, over pair of dusty black pants.

"How long til meeting..?" Ed said, voice nearly a croak.

"Maybe..Half hour.?" Harry said.

"Goot.." Ed said, and continued on past with a half-hearted wave of his ungloved hand.

Harry shrugged and paid him no mind until he heard a metalic clang - then looked on in surprise that a suit of armor landed in such a way that it appeared to be sitting on a wooden bench he was absolutely sure was not in the cluttered corner previously.

As an ornate tiara clattered noisily to the floor, he watched his strange friend not only flop bonelessly onto said bench, but actually lay his head against the leg of the armor as if it were the softest of pillows.  
"Vake me.." Ed yawned hugely, and rolled to face the wall."..ven it.."

But the rest of what Ed wanted to say was lost in his soft snores. Harry watched him in amazement.

"Oh. There he is.." Luna breathed vaguely next to Harry, startling him. She glanced to him, then eased over to the bench. "You realise he's been up for days now..."

"What..?" Harry said.

"In the library, mostly ...I was wondering how long he could manage." Luna said, sounding mildly interested. She soon found a blanket amongst the clutter, and draped it over the sleeping Ed, then began to hum tunelessly.

"What. I don't believe this..Snuggling..?"  
"Against that thing..? No.. Can't be." FredorGeorge said.

Harry held out his arms, stopping them from advancing to the corner.

"Let him be. 'K?" Harry said. "Can't you tell he's shattered?"

"Come on.. Be a sport."  
"'Sides..We owe him big for.. "  
"..the loads of mudballs he..."  
"..all manky because of 'im.."

"No." Harry said firmly. "He really had the right idea.. Um.. Since he's out, I'll need your help to do his part..."

The others arrived soon after..Harry had them gather around the mud pit, where Fred and George stood back to back- both grinning just as maniacially as Ed had the last meeting.

"Right.. Last meeting we were working on dodging. Well, this time, we're going to continue..." He heard a number of groans, and spoke louder..over them "..Only don't be afraid to use a counter spell at the same time. Like.."

"S-Shield charm.?" Neville stammered softly.

"Yeah..like a shield charm..or..or.."

"Expelliarmus..?" Seamus added.

"Yeah..good one. Right. Everyone got it?" Harry said. "Ready..?"

That session.. Nearly everyone got covered in mud- frred and George got nearly as much as they dolled out.. Neville was quicker this time, mudballs hitting only his arms, and gracing his hair. Harry noticed much the same for the others, and found himself grinning in sheer delight at the silliness of the terribly serious exercise Ed had given them. Not even his pricklng scar bothered him in that moment.

He called for a break, and as he looked over at the curiously clean blanket covering the sleeping Ed.

Ed hadn't moved so much as an inch, and his chest rose and fell in a slow steady rhythm.

Shaking his head in amazement that his strange friend could manage to sleep through the considerable noise they had all made, his attention drifted to an unexpected visitor..one with far too many knitted hats worn on his head, just emerging from behind a wizard's bust.

"Harry Potter, sir.. Dobby has come to warn you sir.. " Dobby said, watery eyes wide..

"Warn me..?" Harry said. "Warn me about what..?"

"She.. She.."

Harry's eyes widened, knowing too well who the "she" could only be, and he grabbed for his map as he yelled out.."Everyone.. Everyone! Clear out! NOW! RUN FOR IT..!"  
Harry saw the doors to the room open wide, saw none other than the pink toad herself.. Flanked by a number of Slytherns..

...Just as the more doors formed on the opposite wall, ones that were shoved open by frantic D.A. members.

"TAKE THEM!" He heard behind him. "Don't let those little tro.."

"NOT A SHRIMP!" Harry heard a familiar, sleep croaking voice yell out angrily behind him. It was quickly followed by loud crashing sounds, many meaty whacks, and generous "ooophs" and "ow"'s.

"Locomotor Motis!"

Harry's legs locked.. Simply refused to obey him...and he fell face first to the floor. He managed to roll himself to his back, and saw the sneering, even gloating face of Draco Malfoy lowering his wand.

"Well..well." Draco sneered. "Consider yourself caught, Potter." 


	64. caught

A/N: Now with spell-check:) thanks for reading and reviewing. Again, may add more to this one.. Or not.. Looks like most who read it got it:)

-break-

Snap!  
At the sound Ed instantly ducked and squinched both eyes shut. But instead of the fearsome roar he expected, he heard a soft, even kind, voice.

"Dobby is very sorry, sir, very very sorry. But he can not allow you to hit him any more, sir. "

Heart racing, Ed blearily glanced to the speaker. He saw a chimera with wide watery eyes, pointy nose and ears, and far too many hats on its head.

And noticed that he himself was floating in defiance of gravity.. The only thing which seemed to tether him at all was the robe collar he had a firm grip of below.

"Vas..?"

"Forgive Dobby, sir. If you hit him any more, sir, you may kill him. Dobby knows you as a friend of the great Harry Potter, sir, and, forgive Dobby, but he assumes you, like, him, do not do such things, sir."

It was so dreamlike, Ed blearily looked down at his target, to the bloody collar he had a firm hold of with his left, and let go. As he floated gently upwards, he looked about him at the many bodies littering the floor, half expecting to see his usual nighttime monsters..

Glowing eyes and gore and all.. In the darkest corners...Any minute now..yep..

..Wait..  
..The stone floor, that was attached to four, solid, ANCIENT stone walls...

"Vhere..?" Ed said. He noted all the unmoving forms were dressed in Slythern robes. "..vas.. happned..?"  
Ed wiped his face with his ungloved left. At that moment, like a bubble had just burst, he landed hard on his behind beside the unmoving Slythern boy he had just released. As he sat up, he rubbed at his aching leg port: Pain telling him he was most definitely awake. He blearily looked to the chimera, only to find it gone.

He heard a familiar sickly sweet voice echo through an unfamiliar door. ".. Anyone breathless- check the bathrooms.. Parkinson.."  
Followed closely the sound of hurried footsteps that got louder by the second.

An unreasonable, icy chill flashed through his gut..

Envy..

Ed moved smoothly to the wall in time to see a dark haired girl, also in Slythern robes, burst into the room. She took but two steps, gasped at the sight of the many unconscious forms on the floor, and held both hands to her mouth.

He watched the girl lower her arms and shakily peer about the room, then he quickly glanced around the door jam to the hall. The way was clear. He poked his head back, and...

...continued to watch.

It was too... Real. The icy fear in his belly faded..slightly.

This girl was what she appeared to be: nothing but a scared school girl.

He knew what had happened: The pink toad had found them...their secret club. It was her sickly sweet voice he had heard. And by all appearances, she was using..Kids... To do her dirty work for her.

A very Envy-like thing to be doing..

A burning anger flared to life deep in his gut.

He slipped out behind the girl, and made his way into and down the darkened hall. He saw a number of lights waving and swaying hypnotically down the way.. With a glance, he saw there were more in the other direction..

All likely lights on wand tips.

He slipped behind the door and easily found tiny hand holds in the ancient stone.

Then stopped.

He was a staff member now, not a student. That meant.. Oh.  
His brain fogged up, erasing the thought as it appeared. He shook his head slightly, then began his ascent.

With practiced ease, he reached the narrow ceiling in moments, and stepped over onto the narrow shelf-like structure at the base of some decorative arches just as a number of wand lights rushed by below.

His left forearm - the skin - tingled, and he rubbed at it irritably with his right as he looked down at the four Slythern students below. He noted with some amusement that not a single one bothered to look upwards. Even with the frantic finger pointing and grunts so helpfully provided by the trolls in the huge tapestry directly across from him, they strode purposely into the room.

Ed heard several gasps of surprise, shouts of "ennervate!", and quite a few groans. A "get Madam Pomphey!" then two exited rather quickly... One of them the dark-hair girl.

His fuzzy brain cleared enough to provide a rough mental map. He noted the two went in separate directions once they reached the area near the stairs.

He knew now where he needed to go.. And with that thought, pushed off from the wall. Over ledge in a dive..lazily flipping over mid-air. He landed solidly on his feet, but with enough force on his left that he heard the stony crack! as the ancient rock gave way to his alloys.

He glanced down, grunted at the shallow crater beneath his foot, then felt a hum vibrating in his chest. He slowly rose from his slight crouch and leveled a scowl in what he judged was the correct direction.

The faces he saw clearly wore masks of superiority and even haughty pride. But the wands told him the truth.

They were quivering.

The Slythern students clung together like the frightened children they were. One even pushed another forward.. To force him to act as a shield, Ed supposed as he rose both eyebrows at the action.

"Oopz. You caaht me." Ed said with a shrug, more to put them at ease than anything else.

He rubbed his itching arm against his belt, too.

"Wait. I don't..You're a student right? Or a teacher?" One of the group said..one who was behind all of the others and near the ground.

Ed suddenly heard the distinctive creaking of metal plates rubbing together, and widened his golden eyes. He looked wildly about, but the sound faded as quickly as it began.

"Bodt." Ed said when he turned back. He rubbed an eye with his left and bit back a yawn. "Daat Umbidche iz en Dumbledore'z offise, no?"

"Um.. Yeah. W-we're to take anyone suspicious t-to.."

Ed tiredly waved the words off, already on his way. Yawning widely, he replied.

"Yeah."

-break-

Harry was standing beside the double doors when they banged open with sudden force, and someone stormed in with shoulders slumped low, as if dragging something heavy.

Professor Umbridge widened her beady eyes in alarm, still waving her hands in the air like they had been burned.

Shacklebolt was quick to smoothly glide over a few steps to block the forward march, and Harry saw the blond groggily lift his head before he stopped, nearly slamming bodily into the larger man by scant inches.

It was Ed. They had caught Ed of all people! Harry looked for who had brought him, but saw no one. He looked back to Ed as a awful mix of confusion and dread bubbled in his belly.  
The unruly bangs obscured his face from Harry's view, but he saw that his long blond hair was half-out of the pony-tail, tufts sticking up at odd angles here and there. Ed's long-sleeved black dress shirt was half buttoned and showed a good deal of the many scars and mechanical bits running along his right shoulder. The garment was not only untucked but was now as wrinkled as the long black pants.

In other words- Ed was a disheveled mess.

"This is a private meeting, son." Shacklebolt said in his low, slow voice. "Turn about, please. You do not want trouble, now, do you?"

There was a pause, and Harry saw Ed turn his head as if looking about.

Harry had a clear view of the frowning man by the hearth: Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. The man glanced over to Dumbledore, who stood protectively by the curly haired, and cowering, Marietta Edgecombe, wand held easily in his hand. Dumbledore, apparently no longer truly angered from Professor Umbridge's shaking of the girl, looked on serenely as he gazed in Ed's direction.

Dumbledore raised a single eyebrow. "I suspect he has his reasons for such a... Dramatic entrance. Edward..?"

"Tutorink zezzon vaz dizrupted tonight." Ed croaked, and Shacklebolt shifted to the side. Harry looked to Dumbledore.. hope rising slightly that such an outright lie would be enough to save him...

"Tutoring..." Dumbledore repeated softly, as if surprised.. And oddly, even pleased.

"..About the meeting we know was definitely held tonight..?" The Minister interrupted with the air of someone trying to pin something down.

"Yes. Miss Edgecombe tipped me off. I proceeded to the room to catch them red-handed, only to find them, covered in filth, running in every direction. An action which tells me they knew that they were in the wrong.. And certainly NOT in a Ministry sanctioned tutoring session by any means. I have their names here.." Umbridge removed a familiar slip of paper out of her pocket.. The one they had all signed months ago.. Harry felt an icy pit form about his stomach as she handed the list over to the Minister.

"Zo dey vran." Ed said almost too causally as he folded his arms. "I tolt dem dey vere flabby...vhat I teach is beink demandink on de body.."

"Miss Parkinson found it pinned to the wall ..and was kind enough to retrieve it for me. Once I saw Potter's name, I knew what we were dealing with." Umbridge said softly. Calmly.

"Miss Parkinson.." Umbridge continued with a glare towards Ed. " ..also told me she found certain trustworthy students apparently beaten unconscious. In that very room where that illegal meeting was held...You remember, Minister, what I told you of Mr. Elric's concocted homeland? How they supposedly test him yearly using ..well.. fighting assessments of all things..?"

Dumbledore frowned as he shifted his gaze towards Ed.

"Trnzlatez more like "baddle.." Ed said tiredly, and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his-ungloved- left. Harry widened his eyes. Ed NEVER went ANYWHERE without gloves...  
"Yes.. Yes..Funny that. Though I suppose the place is conveniently unplottable.."

"It's not on any map, sir." Percy declared. "Magical or otherwise."

"Quite the little.." Umbridge began.

There was no other way to describe it but by the phrase "explosion of movement".

Harry saw Shacklebolt physically restrain Ed, large hands well placed on Ed's..tiny in comparison.. shoulders, as Ed actually leaped with both arms outstretched towards Umbridge's neck. He yelled louder than Harry had ever heard him. Or even, for that matter, Mrs. Weasley.

"WHO'RE-YOU-CALLING-PIPSQEEK-TINY-SMALL-BEANSPROUT-SHRIMP-SHADOWATNOON-TRAPPEDON-ATOMICPARTICLE-INACHAINREACTION-INSINGULARITY!"

Umbridge's eyes widened in surprise at the outburst.

"Mr. Elric..It would be best if you would restrain yourself.." Professor Mcgonagall said crisply, nostrils flared. Ed lowered his arms, and after a moment, slumped himself back out of Shacklebolt's grip with all the grace of an angry bull. Umbridge continued. "... Little liar, aren't we, Mr. Elric? You and Potter do make a such good pair. Tut tut. Dreadful tempers. Obviously Potter recruited Elric in order to help with some ..techniques... the Ministry has decided are inappropriate for school- aged children." Umbridge added with a rather unpleasant grin.

"Oder vay avround, Ministry Approved Instructor." Ed's croaky voice growled loudly. Harry could hear Ed's disgust, and cringed. "I vas vone who vrecruited ztudents .. Iz but equivalense for teachink I vaz hired to be doink."

"By the looks of you, I highly doubt you were doing much more than..say.. sleeping this evening, Mr Elric." The Minister said, eyeing Ed for several moments before he strode towards Dumbledore, list in hand. "See what they called themselves..?" The Minister said as he looked the paper over. "'Dumbledore's Army'."

Unable to look at his complete doom head on, Harry instead looked to Ed, intending to nod a grateful thanks for his attempted save. Only to find Ed moving strangely, like he was trying to reach for something pinned against his back.

"Well.. The game is up. Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius, or will a statement before these witnesses suffice?"

Harry tore his eyes away from Ed to look upon Dumbledore's suddenly grinning face.

"Statement?" The Minister said dumbly.

"Dumbledore's Army." Dumbledore said waving the sheet of paper before the Minister's face. "Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army."

The Minister to a horrified step backward. "You..?" He whispered.  
"That's right."  
"You organised this..?"  
"I did."  
"You recruited these students for- for your army? Then you HAVE been plotting against me.!"  
"That's right."  
"NO!" Shouted Harry.

-break-

When Shacklebolt suddenly whipped himself about, Ed was only vaguely aware of some sort of argument going on.

His left arm itched and itched and itched, and he dared not scratch with his false fingers for fear of opening the array scar. Again. He rubbed it first against his belt, then against his back.. But it wasn't enough.

Finally, he ran his palm pressure plate over the incessant itch, fingers splayed wide, and his entire body vibrated with relief as the itch finally stopped.

He closed his heavy lids a moment and let out a breath.

When he opened them, to his horror, the scar was glowing. He jerked his hand away and stared. He could see the telltale blue shining right through his shirt sleeve.

He held his breath.

The glow faded.

Before he could puzzle out what happened, there was a blinding flash of silver light.. A crashing sound.. And the merry tinkling of many broken bits of glass. Ed felt something solid strike his upper back, and when his behind stuck an equally solid something a split second later, belatedly realized he must have struck the door.

Maybe a wind gust..? I could have been..huh? no NOI'm NOTTHATSMALL!I'MNOT!I'M...

He heard a bird singing softly..sweetly. High above him, and the sudden rush of anger faded, replaced by a wonderful warmth.. He opened his eyes, and saw dust billowing all about. Fuzzing up the edges. Like living in a cloud.

"Are you alright?" He heard in English. Then it repeated in perfect Amestrian in a gentle tone. He took a breath, intending to answer..

He glimpsed a vague form rise in the dust and became sickly fascinated, forgetting the words he was about to say instantly. As he silently watched, the figure transformed several times.. Finally settling on the solid shapes of Harry, a girl, and a severe looking woman he knew he should recognize but found his brain too fuzzy for the job.

Envy.. His mind whispered..calling forth the reason he came to this room.. and it was followed by the return of the icy chill in his gut..

The itching in his arm began again, and he clenched his fingers closed. He willed his legs to obey.. He had to MOVE! And MOVE!NOW!

Focused entirely on the task of regaining his feet, and nearly halfway successful, he snapped his heavy lids open when he felt unwelcome, unexpected fingers ghost along his forehead, and snatched the wrist with his right. Without thinking, he adjusted his grip, and went for pressure points near the thumb.

"Edward..?" Blue eyes filled with genuine pained concern dominated his foggy vision. The itching made all his leaden fingers twitch...

But! Envy!

Ed glared at the face..knowing it would change, steadily applying pressure. He heard a soft pop as something gave..

"Perfectly safe..shh. sleep ...shh.. " He heard in perfect Amestrian in a kind, though controlled tone that he knew in his very core that the thing was entirely incapable of.

Another wave of itchiness made his fingers spasm, and he heard..

"Brother?"

.. distantly..

That long missed voice was like water hitting parched earth. He released his grip abruptly and half collapsed to his belly. He managed one last valiant effort to stand though his body felt like it weighed tons.

He looked about searchingly with his golden eyes, feeling the familiar deep guilt.. and more ...rise in his gut and easily displace the ice.

"Sleep..it's alright..shh.." He felt the man lightly touch his living shoulder, and it was as if his muscles melted. He landed with his chin nearly flat against the floor.

His thoughts slowed, became like fog, and thickened.. but before the blanket darkness completely enveloped him, he breathed..

"Al.."

-break-

"Minerva, see to him, will you?." Dumbledore said softly, in a careful kind of tone. "I believe Severus would be the most appropriate placement until he wakes fully."

"W-what's wrong with him..?" Harry blurted with some alarm as he glimpsed the eerie molten gold the orbs had become, made the more startling by the dark circles surrounding them, before Dumbledore let the curtain of unruly bangs drop over Ed's face once more.

"Not a thing. In spite of appearances to the contrary, he's simply fallen asleep. What's more, I suspect he has been in a sort of sleep walk for the past hour." Dumbledore said softly, in that same careful tone, as he rubbed at his wrist.

"But..but Snape..?" Harry began, remembering the small dark room that was the source of his recent nightmares.. The bloody bodies hanging limply from the ceiling.. The memory he wasn't supposed to have seen..!

Dumbledore shuffled back, and turned his gaze to Harry, and gently touched his wrist.

"Listen to me, you must study Occulmancy as hard as you can. Remember-close your mind-particularly every night before you sleep...you will soon learn why."

As the Auror known as Dawlish stirred by Ed, Harry watched Dumbledore stand and reach a single hand upwards.

"Best to go now.."

As Fawkes swooped by in a lazy circle, Dumbledore grasped the long flowing tail of the phoenix, then, but a moment later, both vanished in a sudden burst of flame..

It wasn't long after that the Minister awoke and began the desperate chase for Dumbledore, all but writing off Harry, poor Marietta, and Ed as mere distractions to be sent to their beds.  
Professor Mcgonagall set to the task, urging both Marietta and Harry ahead of her as she squatted down to give Ed a good look.

As she brought out her wand from her pocket, Harry saw Ed hutch up, like he was once again trying to stand. Ed frightened him many times while awake, and he certainly didn't want to think of what Ed was capable of if he wasn't entirely aware of the reality of things.

"Professor.. Don't. Wait." Harry said. "He..uh.. can feel when wands are pointed at him..and I..uh don't think using magic around him a really great idea right now." As he watched, Ed slumped back the way he was - largely sprawled on the floor. "At least not when he's asleep like this. This summer the things he..

"Potter, however do you suggest we are to move him?" Professor Mcgonagall said crisply. "He simply can't stay here."

Harry looked to Mcgonagall, then to the heap that was Ed, and made his way over. Without touching him, Harry did his best to imitate Dumbledore's calm controlled voice.

"Ed, it's Harry.. Time to get up. Breakfast is nearly done.."

Silence. Harry took a breath, and wracked his brain. Then hit on another idea...It was cruel.. Unfair, and it wrenched his gut to have to do this. Remembering well the draw that the Mirror of Erised had on him, he decided to take a chance..

"You want to see your brother right..?"

"Nnnnnmmm? Alll..?"

"Yes..uh.. Al. Come on...let me help if you're too wasted.." Harry reached for the shoulder he knew didn't have metal bits, and was surprised at Ed's lack of reaction. He scooped an arm under and, before long, found himself half- dragging Ed along the dark corridors. He thought Ed was surprisingly light in comparison to his cousin, Dudley.

Mcgonagall rushed Marietta off to the hospital wing, saying her condition needed the more immediate treatment.

As he eased Ed down to the floor to wait outside the door of Snape's quarters, Ed began mumbling incoherently in his language. With a glance he saw that, thankfully, Ed's eyes were closed.

"Wish I could understand you.." Harry sighed, and sat down beside his strange.. friend.  
"... my armz... my legz.. eben take my heart..."

In moments he realized Ed was muttering in English.

"...Give him back.. my only family.. Fukken trudh..."

Harry looked over at Ed in surprise and saw that the right false arm was creeping ever closer to the left forearm.. Where the much abused scar was located..

He made a go for the false limb, intent on stopping its progress.. And found it returned his grasp..Not painfully..but in a desperate sort of clutch that a drowning man would give.

"Al..?" Came the desperate, yet familiar plea. Not knowing what to say, Harry listened to his instinct and simply slipped an arm over Ed's shoulders.

"Al...tore me apart m... alone.. all alone..no vant daat for you...sorry.."

Ed leaned the back of his head against his chest.

"Fukken trudh ...fix it.." Ed breathed as he relaxed. "..Make vay home ..you see ..no vorry..no..vorry...so close..."

Ed yawned hugely and sighed a deep restful sigh.. He spoke no more in the time Harry waited with him, as Snape arrived far too soon.. Harry found he detested the man even more.

Without speaking a word, the greasy git lifted Ed up in the air with up a wave of his wand, and sneered down his hooked nose at Harry as he smoothly entered his living quarters behind his floating friend.

-break-


	65. researching truth

A/N: Real life delayed me.. Ah well. I think this chapter is a wee bit "choppy", and I may make changes as I think of them. It does manage to cover most of what I wanted to.. Still.. Some parts DO bug me, but I'm tired of looking at it.

Thanks for reading/reviewing! They always make my day:)

-break-

Harry was not in the least surprised at the very next Educational Decree posted upon the walls that had sprung up overnight. And it seemed that everyone in Hogwarts knew that Dumbeldore had overcome two Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Minister of Magic, and his junior assistant in his escape.

The details of Dumbledore's escape were getting ever more dramatic with every retelling. As Harry was the only available witness to the event, he found himself nearly surrounded in the halls at every moment between classes with openly curious questions and trusting faces.

By lunch, he was witness to sparking green, yellow, and red explosions in fantastic shapes; smelled the stinking smoke of dung bombs; even had to dodge the odd watery forms of conjured flying fish in the aftermath of the wonderful mayhem he knew was caused by the Weasley twins. All events were hurriedly chased, of course, by a rather red faced and scowling Umbridge.

Harry watched the latest antics with Hermione and Ron in the hall as he finished sharing Ed's involvement in the Headmaster's office with them. They all ducked low as a yellow dragon, made of sparking fire, swooped over them.

"Beating up that bunch of Slytherns in his sleep.. Bloody hell. Wish I could've seen..." Ron said with a hint of awe.

"Ron!"

"Well, he didn't do any of that to Fred or George no matter what they pulled to wake him." Ron said, "He may be a nutter.. But he's OUR nutter, so.. Um. Snape.."

"Yeah." Harry said.

"Reckon the git'll finish what he started?" Ron said with a slight hint of worry. "Whatever it was he was doing with Ed that you saw?"

"Hope not." Harry said with a shiver.

"Really. Snape's had plenty of chances that we know about to hurt Ed before now...and he hasn't..." Hermione said in exasperation.

"As far as we know..." Ron said darkly.

"I'll.. check on him. See how he's doing." Then Harry sighed, and leaned his head onto his hand. "At least I have some.. Family. Sort of. Whatever.. "

Ron and Hermione looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"I mean...The Dursleys. They're awful, really...but..."

Harry stopped, hurriedly hutching low as the dragon swooped their way once more. Feeling slightly singed as he came back up, he saw Hermione rummaging within her purse. Ron looked off to the side with great interest, and chewed his way though a biscuit.

The floor shook, and Harry lurched to keep his feet beneath him. Then, there was a large BOOM!

One which seemed much louder than the one the twins had managed when they set off their entire stock of magical fireworks. It even echoed, telling him he didn't judge it wrongly.

He looked about and glimpsed tiny red archs of lightening lick the stone of the hall that lead to the ruined courtyard. For but a moment, he thought it to be just another of the twins fireworks.

Then, there was an odd feeling he couldn't put into words. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and the air felt so thick that he felt couldn't breathe.

There was the banging sound of a crash; like a metallic something had struck something quite solid. He saw clusters of students rush back from the hall, as if surprised rather than alarmed, and heard Madam Hooch shout for Professor Umbridge.

And the odd, standing on end feeling vanished.  
Now burning with curiosity, Harry shot off towards the forbidden courtyard, only to find his way blocked by the multitude of students who apparently had the same idea as he.

"Disperse! Clear out of here!" Yelled familiar sickly sweet voice. He felt a sudden shove, and turned in time to see Professor Umbridge angrily push her way past him through the gathered crowd of students.

Hermione had his shoulder and lead him away before he could see much of anything himself, but he heard the many cheers and appreciative whistles of the lucky few who witnessed whatever it was.

Fred and George were the heroes of the night in Griffindor commonroom, and apparently taking advanced orders for their wares- the very same magical fireworks they had put to good use all day long.

"How ever did they conjure that?" He heard as he made his way to the fire.

"What?" Harry replied to the older boy he didn't quite recognize but knew was once on the Quiddich team.

"Didn't you see? That huge suit of armor? It moved on its own for a little while then collapsed..""

"No idea." Harry said with a smile as he looked towards Fred and George. "You'll have to ask them."

"Already tried. Trade secret, they said." The boy said disappointedly.

Harry found his usual spot and soon looked distainfully down at his piles of homework. He heard a snort, and saw that Ron, too, was in no mood to write essays or read through texts. Not with brightly shining fireworks spinning through the air.

"You know.. Maybe homework can wait." Hermione said wistfully.

Harry looked to Ron, who raised his brows in surprise. Then looked to Hermione, and saw the grin spreading on her face.

"But.. I thought nothing was more important than homework.." Ron said.

"Don't be silly. Of course there's more important things than homework..and I'm feeling.. A little rebellious." Hermione said. Harry grinned as he saw Ron smirk. "..There's also figuring out what's going on with a certain.. Muggle friend." Hermione continued in nearly a whisper.

Ron's smirk took a nosedive straight to a frown as he looked to Hermione in confusion, then he shoved a chocolate frog into his mouth.

"Um..With all that time Ed's spent at that table.. Um.. Anyway. I was curious.. I- I'd thought he'd be reading through..I dunno.. alchemical texts or something from the restricted section.. But.. um.. Here. This is the only one I could sneak past Madam Pince. "

Hermione handed Harry a small book. The title read: "Tales of Beedle the Bard"  
"Irememerdaptboopt." Ron swallowed."Mum would read me the stories before bed." Ron said, more clearly. "Why would the nutter read that for?"

"Muggle werewolf stories, now this?" Harry said with a bit of a smirk. "During summer, he was digging into stuff that I couldn't even .." Harry shook his head in dismay, find he couldn't finish the thought much less the sentence.

"Reckon he's not doing THAT much research." Ron said with a chuckle.

"Just um.. Whatever's he working on.. It's.. I dunno..." Hermione said with a shrug. "The rest of his pile looks to be mostly history texts. Even Hogwarts: A History is there."

"Nutter." Ron mumbled, then yawned. "He coulda just asked you, instead a going through all that effort."

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she looked to Ron.

"Anyhow, the story of the hairy heart gave ME nightmares when I read it, so maybe..maybe.." Hermione said. "You know.. that dream he was having? Maybe it was caused by reading this or something."

-break-

He heard the pounding in his ears.. But saw nothing but darkness. Then.. He realized what the pounding was.

Running.. He was running. He saw a light before him.. Far ahead. Splashing against a brick wall. He ran faster.

He reached at the end of the blind alley, breathless. Ice filled and twisted in his gut as he looked the gore splattered about the bricks. He knew this place, for he visited it often. Before he could slap his hands together, the voice called out..

"Big browder..? Come pway widh me..." He heard distantly and looked about desperately for its source as something in his chest tightened. But she was nowhere to be seen.

The tightness spread to his throat, and clenched his vocal chords so tight that he could only whimper in his rage and grief.

Isn't she beautiful? She's grown so much.. My Nina..

He turned his head and recoiled slightly at the sight of the man. The glasses, shot cropped and balding hair, and face of mad desperation that bordered on.. He didn't want to think of it. No.

We're not so different you know..Fullmetal

He took a breath, feeling the burning of rage. No.

The man transformed.. Face shifted upside down and fused with a mass of animals.. Becoming more like his second name. The thing that was once a man grinned madly as he looked to the wall, and waddled over. Ed watched as a massive paw rose up and caressed the splatter almost lovingly.

NO.  
NOOO.

"Sewing-life... " He managed past the tightness. "Nothing like you. Nothing. Like.. "

Gore dripped down and through the man, oozing over him and congelling into a mass, then forming into a nightmare of created flesh and bone.. Glowing purple inhuman eyes watched him as the thing gasped a ragged breath..

And in that instant he felt the searing as if his leg and arm had just been ripped from him once again, and he fell.. Splashing helplessly into the gore suddenly pooled beneath him.

He looked over, and in the next breath, the thing shifted forms .. It rose up on two strong legs.. becoming... He stared at the cold golden eyes looking down at him, at the long missed face painted with hate and revulsion..

"Liar.. you deserve this. To be all alone ..just like you left me..! I hate you I hate I hate you..!"

He heard a cry in the inky dark, and the ragged, pained, sound stopped only because he had run out of breath.

Suddenly aware of the coolness of leather beneath cheek and his living hand, and cushions that gave slightly with his movements as he shook in his balled up state, Ed opened his golden eyes. He sifted through the gory images his mind provided.. or rather, he desperately clung to the one of his brother.. for several heatbeats before he recognized the fact he was lying on a rather comfortable couch.

The tightness of long held back tears choked throat, and finding himself unable to stop, he let out another great wail with his next breath.. but stopped just short of sobbing.

A dim light appeared from above, and the darkness retreated. Ed panted as he looked frantically about the unfamiliar room. He stared at the grotesque contents in the large jars placed in the far corner for several moments, half convinced he had to be asleep.

"..where am.." He said aloud in Amestrian. He heard his voice echo back a little. He felt a familiar vibration in his chest and, after a quick calculation of his own, looked about for its source.

He saw dark robes, greasy dark shoulder length hair, and the pale sneering face of Severus as the man looked coolly past the heavy wooden door.

'Hogwarts..' He thought with more than a bit of disappointment.

Wondering vaguely if Severus had stayed out of his head as he had demanded, or, as he hazily remembered a group of unconscious Slythern students, (all of which were Severus' charges, as he was 'in command' of that house), if he somehow caused the nightmare to rise...

..Like he had done before, while Ed was in the recovery ward...,

Ed growled a greeting, voice barely a croak in his ears. "Severus.. How long vas I out?"

"For one as lazy as yourself, I cannot imagine how that could ever be of grave concern." Severus said coldly, with a slight nod.

Ed wrinkled his nose in disgust, and retorted. "Pfft. 'Lazy?' If you must insult me, at least do it vell!"

He watched Severus turn away, as if he were something quite beneath his notice.  
"However delighted I am to see to your quite trifling demands of subtle brilliance, to hear them on such.. short.. notice is quite ..."

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A MICRON-SIZED PIPSQUEEK SHIMP?" Ed roared as the door was pulled shut, then swung his legs over the side in a huff and held his face together with both hands.

"Bastard." He allowed his angry mask to fall away, like the cloud it was, as no one around to see it happen. As he muddled his way through the foggy remains of the dream, gazing unseeingly about the room, he supposed he should be thankful Severus was so... unfriendly..

'Even after a year.. Without you, Al..I'm a mess..' Ed thought miserably. Then said in Amestrian, as if he were making a promise. "Soon..."

After a moment, he ran his fingers through his long blond hair and tied it anew in a rough braid. He tried real hard not to breathe in his own stink, as he was fairly certain it had been at least a week since his last shower. And.. Quite a few days since he had last changed his clothes. He began his morning routine, though somewhat certain it was NOT morning at all, and chose to ignore gnawing empty sensation below his ribs.

Sometime later he heard a dull thump followed by a muffled groan. Severus's distant voice chastised, somewhat commandingly, "On three then. One two three.." Somewhere beyond the door.

Then there was a bang! as if another door was kicked open- this drew his interest as he knew this sound very well. Ed tilted his head, and wandered over to the door.

"...Resume tomorrow evening..." He heard Severus' muffled voice say.

Ed turned away, and resumed looking about the room he was in for an exit, not wishing to disturb a lesson, class, or whatever was in the next room.

Across the way, he saw another door. It opened easily enough, and though the interior was certainly gloomy, the large bed within revealed what the room was for: Severus' bedroom.

Ed could see another door within, one that was slightly open. A few steps within the bedroom and he saw the door only lead to a small, and gloomy, bathroom.

"Great." Ed said, and headed back to the only apparent exit left. The room beyond proved to be familiar ground- by the jars stacked everywhere he saw that it was the very office where he had served his 'detentions' months before. Only.. By the desk there was a silvery light shining. Ed's eyes traced the light to the source..

A boy with dark hair had his face stuck in a rune covered bowl. The flicking light looked so much like what water would produce, without thinking Ed rushed over, hoping to stop was looked to be an attempt at.. A stoopid attempt at..

Then stopped as he saw the body was actually ..breathing fitfully?.. Though the face was covered completely in the silvery glow within the bowl. Ed looked closer at the pooled substance, which looked to be somewhere between a gas and liquid, then, as his stomach twisted queasily, forced his full attention to the runes.

"An avrray... It's an avrray... Just on a bowl.. " Ed thought aloud as his mind whirled through the meanings etched before him. "..My fault.. Should have come in sooner... Not 'nother death.. No..more.. No more.. Has to be a vay ... "

His mind clicking the patterns together, Ed snatched a piece of chalk. Not wanting to chance any miscalculation, he cleared off a nearby chalk board, and hurriedly drew the pattern that he could see in a more recognizable form.

"Sometings missing.. Someting.." Ed breathed as he looked the equation over. "Vas.."

He tapped his finger on a rune..one which dominated most of the equation "Mind... No. Memory..." Ed said, and looked in wonder over to the bowl. "Memories.. He's not.."

But before the queasiness of guilt could fade, Severus stormed by, and grabbed the boy's arm. "Having fun..?"

The boy's head jerked out of the bowl and looked wide-eyed at the raging white face of Severus. By the glasses, Ed could tell it was Harry.

"So. Been enjoying yourself, Potter?"  
"N-no" Harry stammered.

Ed did not turn away. Nor did he move to help.

Even when Severus threw Harry across the room, because what Harry had done.. That deeply.. horrible.. violation..

It made his stomach clench tight into a knot.  
Ed limply dropped the chalk to the ground. As Severus raged and fumed before him, he only looked over at the ancient bowl on the desk. He could feel the distinct vibration of it in his chest if he focused, but it was so efficient.. It was hardly noticeable.

When the last jar of cockroaches had been thrown, crashing noisily against the stone, and Severus sat heavily into a chair, Ed took a breath.

"Those.. Are your toughts, Aren't dhey. Severus." Ed said softly. "He had no vright. To do daat."

"SHUT IT. I don't want the sympathy of filthy muddy muggle trash like you.."

Ed folded his arms.

".. GET OUT. NOW."

"Make me."

Severus fingered his wand, and glared. No.. Glowered. And rose from his seat. Ed narrowed his golden eyes, and slipped into his deceptive fighting stance. A step at a time, they circled one another warily.

Severus lunged, and Ed barely dodged the yellow blast from his wand with a quick back bend, more from reading the man's body than from feeling the usual humming vibration. The jars of pickled squid in the shelf behind him shattered from the impact.

Ed snapped himself back up and continued his wary circling.

"Get out."  
"No." Ed said. "Leave."  
"Not a chance. Not until dere is equivalence."  
"What!"

"You have been aching vanting to know much about me since I vas brought to dat London house. Eben violated my mind - Somehow brought me back from ..from DAAT place. I owe you much and I do not like being in such debt."

Severus froze.

"Dhere are dhings I know dhat I can not say. For I hardly believe dem myself. I eben promised daat Dumbledore to share bit of daat knowledge vith him vhen he hired me here."

"What are you saying."

Ed eased out of his fighting stance, stood fully, and squared his shoulders.  
"Are you having de courage to face de druth?" 


	66. unbelievable truth retooled

A/n: short one. Had difficulty getting Snape and Ed correct. Its close, I think; although at one point a younger Ed would have thrown punches. Their personalities are very similar, so it had to be nearly like a "mustang" confrontation. Then I had to throw in the fact that Snape is not a fair man at all.

Posting now because it's been a week, I tired of looking at it, and I really wanted to have something to do with Harry, but blanked out for two straight days and ended up reading fanfics instead of writing down what I came up with.:P

Ok..added a bit.. Just didn't fit the next chappy. This gives me more to work with for the next chappy.

Have to admit that much of my difficulty is because I'm having trouble figuring out WHY THE HELL Ed would come to Harry's rescue at the Dept of Mysteries, (the act is sooo un-Ed-ish, since he IS pretty selfish, which, I admit, I haven't shown all that much), so I have to change my plottings and come up with something else. The end may or may not have a thing to do with the "death chamber" at all.

Thanks for reading/reviewing!

-break-

"Dhere are dhings I know dhat I can not say. For I hardly believe dem myself. I eben promised daat Dumbledore to share bit of daat knowledge vith him vhen he hired me here."

"What are you saying."

Ed eased out of his fighting stance, stood fully, and squared his shoulders.  
"Are you having de courage to face de druth?"

Severus instantly scowled deeply as he made a quick slashing motion with his wand.

"Do not. Ever. Call me coward!" The man roared.

Instinctively, Ed simultaneously ducked and raised up his right arm, felt the impact of the sudden blast deep in his housing.

Then.. He felt a burning by his left eye and brought up his left to probe whatever it was. He made a quick glance to his living fingers and rose his eyebrows when he found them covered in blood.

He had felt no vibrations at all from the blast. No hum... Nothing.

"Veak of you to be going for critical parts." Ed said with cold glare. "If you vreally mean to take me on I vill be most happy to kick your.."

"Oh..Do grow up, Elric." Severus snapped..

"Shut it! Still am having time for growth sput!" Ed said loudly.

Severus' hate-filled expression did not change in the least as he ever so carefully lowered and pocketed his wand.

"As you and he are friends, and by its rather poor execution, I can see that Potter and you must have planned this."

Severus jerked his head towards the design on the chalkboard.

"..Or are you to tell me that you had absolutely nothing to do with Potter poking his head into my memories?"

"Tch. He vas like dat when I valked in." Ed snapped, and added. "Vhy you so stoopid and leave you memories out in fukken bowl for anyvone to see?"

Without a glance to Ed, Severus strode over to his desk, rummaged within a drawer. With some effort, he withdrew something with both hands, and eased himself into the chair.

"As I recall, you paid your supposed debt to me, in full, months ago. When you advised me to see a healer." Severus said crisply, ignoring Ed's question.

Ed swallowed his bile, remembering well why he had asked Severus to do such a thing, and watched in a kind of sick fascination as Severus swirled the not-liquid with is wand then touched the tip to his own temple - It certainly looked as though the silvery threads bloodlessly burrowed their way into the man's skull.

"..Therefore. This equivalence you so obsess over is met." He heard Severus say.

As Ed watched, a tiny figure rose up from the center of the bowl. One armed. Long blond hair tied back into a rough braid and remaining limbs bound with chains to a wooden chair. The figure made no sound at all, but did pivot about with the movement of the not-liquid vortex.

"Vas..?" Ed managed to hiss past his scowl as he more violated than he ever had before. He knew without a doubt who the figure was: himself. "My.. You..dat is..and he.. I TOLD YOU TO STAY DE FUKK OUT OF MY HEAD!"

"This IS from my OWN mind.." Severus said clinically.. Coldly. "I often use this.. To puzzle out what I have seen, which, if you were not so dense, you would realise is the entire purpose of this artifact."

Ed approached the desk and peered closely at the tiny figure. "Tch.. Yeah. Is from vhen I vas last in dhe infirmary." Ed said with more than a bit of disgust, then met Severus cold eyes.

"Your debt to me is.."

"How do you use dis ting anyvay?" Ed interrupted as he hopped himself up onto his elbows, craning his neck to get a better look down at the contents of the stone basin. "Do I have to activate de avrray or do I just...oh.."

The figure of himself vanished, and he found was looking down at a small dark room, one filled with many corpses hanging from the ceiling. He could easily see the ice crystals that formed on the hooks.

"..Shit." Ed said softly. His breath fogged the surface of the not-liquid nicely.

"Elric..." Severus said warningly.

"You said yourself you vere puzzled vit dis." Ed said as he gazed at the room below his nose, sounding so much calmer than he felt. "Make no mistake, it turns my stomach dat you have dis at all, but ..since you got dhis from my head in de first place.."

Ed looked over to Severus.

"..who better vill be showing you druth?"

Moments later, Ed felt like he had plunged into water and had simultaneously spun somersaults in midair. Then.. He opened his eyes and saw stood on the solid floor of Severus' office. Exactly where he was standing before..

"Elric."

He heard to the side, and didn't need to look to see it was Severus.

"Smaller dhan I vremember." Ed said in a daze. "Not as colt. So... vreal.."

"The relation of Miss. Lovegood?" Severus prompted impatiently, and Ed realized he had been staring off.

"She not related to Luna." Ed said thickly, and swallowed back the lump in his throat. "She is old.. friend.. of mine. Neighbor in fact."

"The resemblance is truly uncanny." Severus said coldly.. clinically.

"Her name is Vinry. Vinry Rockbell." Ed said and stared longingly at the contents of the bowl, even as Severus retrieved the last shining strand with his wandtip. "Same age as me. I vat, eleven? No, not vright. De vatch vas dere. Just turned twelve dhen."

"And the one who resembles Headmaster Umbridge?"

"Headmaster?" Ed looked sharply at Severus. "Vat happened to dat Dumbledore?"

"Ah.." Severus said."He.. is no longer with us."

"I see." Ed looked down a moment as he let out a breath. Then looked again to Severus. "Vho vere you speak of?"

Severus gestured vaguely towards the bowl, and snapped."The one with your arm?" Ed nodded.

"Yeah, now that I've seen him again in de flesh, he does sort of look like her. He called himself Barry dhe Chopper. He vas my first avrrest. Fitting he vas her double on dhe odher side."

"It was clearly a delightful situation you got yourself in, a mere stupid child involved in such a clearly dangerous thing. However, as I have very limited patience, I wish for you to clarify this..ah 'other side'."

"Dat.." Ed chewed on the inside of his cheek as his mind flew through the various equations that clearly explained the concept. "..has to vit... Um.. De druth is..I don belong here." He blurted, surprised at the words as they left his mouth; he held his breath as he stared steadily at Severus.

"That is obvious, given what you are.. Hogwarts normally wouldn't have a thing to do with a Muggle.."

"You are missing it, greasy freak!" Ed interrupted as he squeezed his eyes shut. Heart racing, hoping it would be received well now that he had spoken of it, he looked again at Severus.

"I am not from DHIS place.. DHIS Earth. Dhat is truth of VHY Amestris is not found on any map..."

"Bravo! Now I know for certain that this is a scheme you and Potter have concocted." Severus said. "It is late and I have entertained MORE than enough of this madness..."

Ed fisted both hands in frustration.

"After all I have ...You call yourselves vizards but you are so ..THICK!" Ed yelled, and banged both fists onto Severus's desk. "In spite of .. Its right before you and you only know to bury vhat little druth you have and hide behind petty, belittling beliefs!"  
Severus face twisted with hateful rage.

"Get. Out." Severus said in a dangerous tone. "Now."

"I'll use small words, greasy freak: Fine. By. Me." Ed said with clenched teeth in Amestrian, and made sure to slam the heavy dungeon door closed on his way out.

-break-

He rushed past the many hanging bodies with the dead dull eyes, pushed open the door, and heard...

"Stand down. Major...!"

Harry looked about and found the door he had just opened gone. Instead he saw many people dressed in blue..vaguely military-looking outfits.. queued up and marching towards an unfamiliar skyline in what appeared to be a sandy desert.

Tiny in comparison to those around him, dressed in a red trenchcoat of all things on a clearly hot day, Ed presented a grim face just as dirty and sweat drenched as the rest when his molten gold eyes glared up at someone near him.

"Major ?...oh Fuck it." Ed said with no accent at all.

Harry watched as a gloved fist connected quite solidly on the someone's jaw with a meaty thunk! and Ed turned fully towards the queues. The someone fell limply, and unnoticed, to the ground.

"Listen to me dammit! You're only giving him what he wants!" Ed yelled. "Scar WILL activate it as soon as there's enough of you..! "

A gigantic flash of light that blanketed everything in scarlet, as if the world was suddenly made of blood cut off the words. Shadows and forms of what were once living people broke apart and disentegrated just before him in a sudden rush...

Harry opened his eyes to the welcoming pre-dawn darkness, and gasped for breath. Mildly surprised his scar was not prickling, he touched a hand gently to his sweaty forehead. He listened intently, but heard only the steady snores of his fellows.

As his scar began to prickle once more, Harry resolutely threw off his covers.

Moments later, he flopped into a chair by the smoldering fire in the common room and looked unseeing at his book bag. He grabbed a book at random and flipped it open, but before long the words blurred together so much that the text may as well have been blank.

His mind was much too full and spinning wildly between the two extremes he had seen in the pensieve. The first was the truth about his father.. Apparently he was every bit as arrogant as Snape had always claimed and that was bad enough, but the second..

..Only seemed to add to his nightmares.

He gave up the early morning studying for the ruse it was, and set the book aside. He then ruffled through the pile of pamphlets set below the career advice announcement, and soon realised that not a single one seemed to match the blue uniforms he had glimpsed.

Not even the security trolls, who had all sorts of outlandish outfits, wore such things.

The first glimmerings of the sun peeked past a window, and he looked up. He saw his reflection in the glass briefly, especially the dark bags beneath his eyes, and realised how little sleep he had gotten during the Easter holidays. As he looked out to what looked to be a beautiful Monday morning, far below he saw the familiar blond braid swinging between the tiny shoulders of none other than Ed - as he sprinted into the Forbidden Forest.

"Harry? Did you hear me..?" Hermione said. Harry jerked awake from his monotone induced daze and blinked blearily about Mr. Binns class.

"Huh?" He said intelligently.

"I said when are you going to go back to Snape and ask for Occlumency lessons again."

"I told you.." Harry replied softly. "He thinks I have the basics down enough to be on my own."

Hermione gave him a skeptical looked, but turned back to taking her careful notes.

Harry skated through Potions, avoiding Snape's cold glare as he turned in his stoppered results for the Draught of Dread, and then was off to Divination. He dazed off again as he looked for the supposed patterns in the smoke with Ron, but without much more success than usual.

At the dismissal, he stepped out onto the sparce grass outside the door with Ron. The late April sun was shining high in the pleasantly breezy afternoon, and Harry was surprised to see Draco Malfoy standing with Crabbe and Goyle nearby, instead of with Ed's tutoring group.

"..don't worry. This will do it. Just you watch.." Draco said as he jerked his chin towards the group gathered about Ed.

"What are you up to.." Ron said.

"Oh.. None of your business. 5 points from Griffindor, by the way, for being so nosy over a house elf's task."

Harry looked over, stomach sinking with the heavy guilt he had over avoiding the blond all holiday. Ed had been the only witness to Harry poking his nose into Snape's memories, after all, and Harry found that he didn't really want to face what the blunt and rude blond would have to say over it...

Ed stood confidently in the center of the seated students, calling out what sounded like numbers as he slapped his hands together methodically, and most of the students called back "calcium" , "neon" or "iron" or some such thing in response.

"Enough! Ve are out of time. Vremeber dhis: Understanding is first and most important of steps of Alchemy. Ve vill be habing to continue vreview of table for next meeting."

They all then filed to the stairs, joining the crowd already climbing. Ed, as was his habit, lingered behind with Hermione and Luna. Once most were past the entrance, only then would Ed approach the stairs. Harry knew exactly why he did this, and so did Ron and Hermione. Harry was a little surprised that Ed had allowed Luna in on his secret, but in light of what he had seen in the pensieve..

"What's that supposed to.." Harry blurted, as he watched Ed slowly, nearly painfully, ascend with a gloved hand desperately clutching at the wall like an anchor. Luna and Hermione followed, though Harry knew Ed wouldn't likely be able to acknowledge their presence.

"..Only disposing of some filth that clearly shouldn't be here. I'm sure even you've noticed, Potter, as you've freely associated with him. Oh, 5, no 50 points for that." Malfoy said. "Funny, as he easily beat up a number of Slythern, that he has this most curious difficulty.. With these stairs ..and all over the grounds?"

Harry watched, horrified, as Umbridge emerged past the double doors at the entrance, high above the slowly climbing Ed.

"You are, of course, aware of the castle's defenses against Muggles? How they're simply repelled by a spell that constantly redirects their attention?"

Clipboard in hand, she began to climb down.

"Well..You see..I've dropped a hint to the Headmaster just this morning.. " Draco continued blandly.

Harry and Ron looked to each other in alarm as Draco carefully examined his fingernails.

"..That is, if she really wanted to be rid of him, she should be sure to speak with him on the stairs just after his tutoring session..."

As one, Ron and Harry rushed over to the stairs. Harry had one foot on the stone, eyes on the events above, and clearly saw the exact moment when Umbridge reached out and grasped Ed's arm tightly with her stubby ring covered fingers.

Harry heard several yells and screams above him, but was really only aware of the bone-crunching landing he felt vibrating through the stone at his feet. Ed immediately followed that with a little backflip, then turned and spinted off like the mad towards the forest.

Harry panted a few moments, then, with a worried glance to Ron, then looked worriedly up at Hermione and Luna. He saw only a fleeting glimpse of the pink toad's smirking face, looking as though she had swallowed a fat juicy fly, glancing down at him.

He made his decision right then.

In spite of the very important plans he had arranged with the twins later that afternoon: his much hoped for meeting with Sirius to speak about his father and what he'd seen in the pensieve...

..He turned about and gave chase. Hoping he could reach Ed before she did. 


	67. That damned pink toad will get it

A/N: I know I said that I didn't want to introduce a character this late in the story, but I have a soft spot for this one, and it nicely covers why Ed never got caught earlier.  
It didn't work so well with Hagrid instead, and yes, I tried. Even with the "tea time" excuse that I came up with for Ed's behavior.

Endings are really hard:P

Seems like I'm prolonging the inevitable. Waaah!

I'll let this chapter stand as is, instead of adding a Harry portion like I was going to. It's hard to beat such a nice cliffy, afterall.

-break-

Harry ran though he knew well enough that he was no good at it.

Breathless, unused to such exercise, it didn't take long for his legs to turn become something like jelly. Nor very long for him fall flat on his face, which he did. Twice. Each time, he scrambled himself back somewhat upright and continued onwards towards the distantly running figure that was Edward Elric.

It was fortunate that Ed was wearing a long sleeved white shirt, else Harry would have lost sight of him as soon as he entered the deep shadows of the treeline. As Harry lifted his wand and took careful aim, his stomach twisted in guilt over what he had to do. He knew well it was a dirty trick.

"Engorgio!" He managed, and watched as the treelimb before Ed's path enlarge at a tremendous pace. Ed, running along at such a fast pace, smacked bodily into it with a meaty thwack! that Harry heard echoing far too clearly.

He then took a quick glimpse behind him at the approaching pink blob bobbing along in the distance.

"Not much time.." Harry muttered, and fumbled with his pack as he rushed to the winded Ed.

Ed had just found his feet once more when he reached his side. Harry immediately took hold of the nearest of Ed's arms before he stumbled two steps. When he heard the expected sharp intake of breath, Harry said.

"Quiet. Shhh.."

"Harry..? Vas..?" Ed gasped as Harry slipped his silvery cloak over the both of them.

"Shh!" Harry hissed, put his other hand on Ed's shoulder, and gave a mighty go to pull Ed down to the ground with him. "Shhh! Get down or she'll see!"

Harry could tell well enough that Ed did not go entirely willingly, but as he was unbalanced by Harry's added weight, hunkered down all the same.

Harry heard a small mew.. And looked down in horror at the scrawny, nearly skeletal cat with bulging lamplike eyes sniffing about the two of them. He couldn't tell if it was his own leg or Ed's she had found, as the two of them were invisible even to his own eyes, but he gripped Ed's arm tighter as he prepared to either shuffle away, or better yet, give Mrs. Norris a good kick in the nose.

However, Umbridge stumbled along on her stubby legs within moments, and he dropped the idea of moving entirely. She peered into the brush to the side, her gaze passing right over the two them, then down a narrow path leading straight away into the dappled shadows of the forest.

As soon as a breathless Argus Filch limped a few steps behind, Harry heard the cat purring loudly as she lovingly circled her master.

"Blast that Dumbledore.! Allowing, not to mention, employing! A filthy Muggle half-breed! In Hogwarts!"

"'Aye, Mistress." Argus's ancient back hunched over as he took a look about in the forest, carefully peering into the brush off to the left as the cat sandered over again, turned about, and sat down right before them. Inelegantly licking her front paw is if highly pleased with herself.

"Be sure to keep an eye out. I have a class to run and have no time to deal with such.. trivial matters.. right now."

"No need to worry 'bout him, Headmaster. I suspect the Muggle wards work properly now that you're in charge."

"Be sure to obliviate him when you find him."  
Umbridge said offhandedly, apparently unaware Mr. Filch was a squib and could no more perform that charm than Harry could fly without his broom.

"Aye, Mistress."

With a last look about, Umbridge swept away and left Mr. Filch to his task. Harry's stomach twisted and sank as the hunched-over man looked to his cat.

"Good work, sweetie." The normally rough voice said in gentle tones, then switched back to the normal harshness as the brown eyes narrowed in their general direction. "Alright.. Come out you."

Harry did no such thing. He felt Ed's hand gripping his wrist, and heard the rustling of his cloak.

"Argus." Ed greeted stiffly as his head poked past the cloak.

"Elric." Mr. Filch said with a sharp nod. "Nice cloak there."

"Yeah. Neat. O. Harry..?" Ed said. "Iz alvright. Argus vill.."

"Potter?" Mr. Filch said sharpy. "Potter! Oh finally I.."

"Argus. You owe me.. Vremember? Equivalent.."

"..exchange.. Pfft. Fine. I'll let him off, just this once." Mr. Filch said testily, then raised a crooked finger."But it'll cost you.."

Ed nodded a sharp nod and motioned for Harry to come out with his visible one gloved hand. " I pay now. Quick lesson."

Mr. Filch smiled a toothy smile that showed his many yellowed teeth.

Harry stood by folding his cloak up as Ed had Mr. Filch squat down and draw a perfect triangle in the dust, then bisect that with an inverted one. Ed then found a rock, and placed it with the space in the middle. Finally, he had the man draw not one, but two perfect circles that touched all the triangles' points.

"Dhere. Vreview. Vhat do you see?"

"Ya.. Three principals.. And three...I see. And that.. Um...would be the four elements..?"

"In nutshell.. Also balance of void and everyting else... Give it a go..?"

"Wha..? Really..?"

"Sure." Ed said, and folded his arms.

Harry watched as Mr. Filch carefully placed his hands on the outer circle, and squinched his eyes shut in intense concentration. Then one eye popped open.

"Um.. How..?" Mr. Filch said excitedly.

"Mm. Been doink dhis since I vas toddler.. Uhmm. First time...Let me zee. Tfft. Like lifting a box dat is far too heavy..? You should feel someting here..." Ed patted his stomach as he glanced to Harry. "Like fire, ice, and.. Um."

"Wh-What if it doesn't.." Mr. Filch stammered, opted to take a deep breath instead of finishing his thought. Mr. Filch's face scrunched even more, and after a few moments, sweat began to dribble on his massive forehead. Then, to Harry's complete amazement, one of the circles began to glow with a weak golden light.

"Wow.." Harry breathed "He's actually.."

The light flickered - died out like a spent match. Mr. Filch sat back and panted as he wiped his brow with an arm. He scowled first at the unchanged rock, then to Ed and finally Harry.

"Not a word, you hear me boy?" He said as he climbed to his feet as quickly as his arthritis would allow. "Not one word to anyone!"

Harry widened his eyes, swallowed and nodded fast. Mr. Filch then lumbered off towards the castle.

"What was that..?" Harry said. "I can see that he's..but. I just.. I mean.. Um.. He's a squib and squibs can't ..it's imposs.."

Ed raised an eyebrow.

"Nevermind.." Harry muttered to his shoe.

"Look like shit Harry." Ed said. "Serves you vright for poking your head in dat bowl in first place."

"Yeah.. " Harry said. "Can't bloody well undo it now...can I?"

"Yeah. No more dan I can here. Fukken toad." Ed said, and snorted. "I know vell enough some of vhat you saw vas mine."

Ed turned away and looked into the forest.

"Some of ..?"

"Yeah. Severus iz fond of poking big nose into my head for some vreason." Ed said with a dismissive wave. "I know..huh. How bout I tell you vat you saw of mine iz about, in exchange.."

Ed turned back.

"..In exchange.. You can show me exactly vhere I fell from sky. It can't be in dis forest..."

"Uh.. Sure.. But, um.. OH! Bloody!" Harry suddenly realized he was about to miss his chance to speak with Sirius, and lamely said ".. I have class.. and. Um..things to..."

At that moment...He heard the distinctive sounds of screams and yells, not to mention explosions that looked to have shattered some windows on the third floor. Harry looked over so fast that he heard his own neck pop.

"Oh no.." Harry said, and sprang into a run. He heard uneven foot falls beside him, and glanced to see a confused looking Ed easily keeping up pace.

"Vas is.."

"Can't say. Whatever they're up to its.."

"Vas? Dere's noting.."

"Explosions! You didn't?" Harry then remembered who he was talking to and inwardly cursed. Of course Ed couldn't see or even hear anything going on at the castle. He WAS but a Muggle, and one of the castle's defenses would hide all of the place from him. "Right. Twins.. for me. Keeping toad ..out of her office."

At his next glance, Harry rather thought Ed's face would have broken in two if his smile could get any wider. Even if the grin had a distinctly evil look to it.

As they reached the first of the stone steps Ed flicked his molten golden eyes towards him, and set his feet solidly in the grass a few feet away.

"...Is past time to kick some dhird vrate toady ass..." Ed said gleefully, with a sort of maniacal laugh that rivaled the one he had heard from Voldemort. "Meet me by voods later."

He then slapped his palms together, and slammed them to the ground. Harry was blinded first by the blue archs that flared to life before him, then by the large amount of dust as his friend launched into the air upon what looked suspiciously like flying brick.

-break-

It was a risky move, aiming for an unseen roof.

Ed had mostly convinced himself that it was a necessity by the time the usual flashes of strange impulses struck his mind. As he began his arch of decent over the false ruins of blasted stone, completely unable to act on them, but left dazed by their passage, he was surprised by the sudden appearance of what looked to be dull slate peaks rushing up to meet him.

He would say with great pride that he actually stuck that particular abrupt landing. The cross peaked roof, however, collapsed almost immediately from his impact.

He instinctively balled himself up as he fell, and rolled as soon as he hit another solid something. Airborne again, and worse, unbalanced, he flipped uncontrollably backwards and landed on his feet once again, however unsteadily. Then fell, undignified, to his backside upon the oddly squishy wet floor.

He looked about and saw the many surprised eyes of a number of students some distance away, just past a bunch of quickly sprouting ferns.

He lumbered to his feet as an explosion thundered, then vibrated the squishy ground. It was closely followed by the unmistakable sound of numerous surprised cries, and he quickly determined those most definitely came from down the wing.

"Shit." Ed said and noticed the squishy ground was definitely approaching a mucky consistency, and there was a growing water puddle forming right before him.

Rather than stay and wonder at what was happening, he glanced back to the unchanged ancient wall, and slapped his hands together as he squelched his way backwards through the muck.

He slapped a hand to it, and a blue flash later, though he nearly lost both shoes to the thick mud as he climbed up onto his nice!AND DRY! stone platform, he soon jogged easily down it. the blue lightening was still arching- completing the formation just as he reached the end of the wing.

The blue lighting startled back the crowd of gathered students, and he stepped down to the clear tile.

"Stupefy!" He heard the honey sweet voice call out shrillily,and he leaned over the railing to look for where she was.

He glimpsed a yellow jet shot out of her equally stubby wand. It stuck what looked to be a knobby kneed muddy blob on the floor below.

The blob trembled but a moment before he became a prime and muck covered witness to the source of the explosions.

"Forgot. How much Magic.. Breaks the law of conservation.." Ed grumbled in Amestrain, as he stood back and wiped the stinking muck off most of his face with his gloved left. "Oh... Yuck.."

"Definitely stinksap.." He heard as he flung the mess to the spoiled ground, and grinned as he recognized the speaker's voice. "H-how did they ..?"

"Neville?" Ed said. "De twins. Have you...?"

"That way." Neville said, waving off to the far side of the wing.  
With a clap, he rose upon another platform and sprinted down, high above the crowded halls. He soon spotted the two in the forbidden courtyard, barely sprinting ahead of the many Slythern students chasing after them. Every now and again he saw gold jets of energy shooting off into the air, and even hand to duck as one flew too close to his head.

A quick calculation later, he slammed his hands down upon the platform at his feet. Blue lighting licked the air, and chased along shaking the ground. He took a single step upon his thick earth wall, ducking past the top of the one of the arches into the courtyard, as the barrier was nearing completion about the surprised Slytherns.

Ed folded his arms as he surveyed his work, then stepped down the newly forming steps as he regarded the twins, both of whom looked at him suspiciously and had their wands pointed at him.

"You make nice swamp I see."

"Yeah.. Well.."  
"We've just started..and.."

"Filthy...Muggle..!" Ed heard distantly behind his wall. It was repeated in whispers in gathering the crowd. He saw the twins glance to the crowd, then to one another.

"Dis place too needs some..." Ed said breezily, and looked to the pristine white walls that mostly surrounded the courtyard. "Vred vould be goot start.. Yeah.. " Ed took in a big breath, and gave a sharp nod. "Goot badass color. Vred. Vreally gets de blood.."

Ed slapped his hands together and slapped a gloved palm to his earthen wall. Blue lightening arched and flashed all over. When he lifted his palm.. The walls all around were now changed. Innumerable pointy toothed demons now graced all the corners..holding up windows with clawed hands.. And, of course, every wall was now coated in his favorite bright sheen.

".. moving." Ed finished.

"Shrimp has a point.." FredorGeorge said, as both smirked.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A MICRO- PIPSQUEEK FLEA!"

"A challenge then..?"  
"See who can make.."  
"the most mayhem.."  
"On their way out?"

"Do not get vrong idea." Ed said, and grinned widely. "I only came to you to be making sure you von be slowing me down."

In less than an hour, he had to admit, however grudgingly, that bats flying out of his pursuers noses made for a great distraction. As often as not, he created doors for the twins when he noticed they were cornered. They, in turn, were sure to return the favor, however messy and mucky the conjured results were.

On one such save, Ed gleefully rearranged an entire tower's rooms as he landed behind a large vase, the stun blast just missing his ear as the wall transmuted into place.

About spent and stomach roaring, he realized he had completely lost track of time as he was running about so much, easily avoiding all of the laughable traps Umbridge mustered.

The sun was setting when he burst into one room in particular, and his widened is eyes as he gazed at the poster plastered on the wall.

"McGonagall's vroom." Ed breathed, and hurriedly shut his created door behind him. With a practiced eye, he saw that the poster's circle was unbroken, and rushed to take it down like the deadly thing it was.

Then, with a stray evil thought, he instead impulsively tacked the thing up before the tiny window just opposite of the door.

A quick search in the workroom, and as the ornate horn of his doorknob rattled, he rushed into place, large jar of pickled slugs held in both hands.

"Headmaster..!" He heard.. and the door cracked open. Gold eyes met beady black, and a muck covered Umbridge swung the created door inwards. It banged against the wall uselessly.

"I vould stay back if I vere you." Ed said confidently.

"After an afternoon of being splashed and covered in all sorts of filth, My my. You really think that a jar of slugs is something that will repell me? Such simplistic Mugglish.."  
"Ministry Appointed Headmaster. You do know vhat dis is, vright?" Ed pointed to the poster with his thumb.

"Merely.. Some ancient.. No obsolete transfiguration ..uh ..artwork."

"Nasty piece of vork - Stoopid name tranzlatez like Crimson Lotus - peaceful sounding no?" Ed swallowed his bile. "Doesn't eben cover de monster de guy vas. He. Loved. Usink onzly de living.."

Ed looked steadily at Umbridge. "..Nitrogen is all dat iz vreally neeted ..like dis ammonia dese slugs are pickled in."

Ed splashed the contents of the jar onto the poster and in the same move held his right hand over the circle.

Umbridge confidently stepped into the room, and raised her stubby wand.

"Damp old artwork.. Is hardly going to.."

"You old bat dhird rate! Look at de vrunez! Eben you vizards can't be dat thick!"

"Tsk...Muggles.. Always so.."

Ed shielded his face into his housing, and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He hoped he calculated JUST right and killed no one as he lowered a single false finger to the circle.

-break-  



	68. Notice

A/N- this may or may not stay- Wanted to share it now before I change my mind.

I was just in the mood to write a good yarn that featured a "take this job and shove it" thing, especially considering recent events IRL. (Man, I really hate my control freak boss. Micro-managers drive me crazy.)  
HA! Figured out a good ending... !

Huh.  
Maybe Harry's portion is a wee bit rushed..? Anyhow, onwards! Reveals coming up next chappy, as I'm still deciding how much ed will talk, and just how harry will react.

Umbridge ain't done, either, as I see her as one heck of a control freak. (Her threats are real. Which is good reason why she did what she did in second part, besides the fact she's.. Um.. Um.. Anyhow...)

Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

-break-

Ed coughed out something that tasted like fried dust.

By the golden light seeping over everything through a large round hole in the wall, it gradually dawned on him that the uncomfortably solid thing he sat upon was actually once part of another wall, and also, the equally uncomfortable thing his back rested against was once a tiled floor. A few more pained breaths, and some careful observations of the vast amount of smoke surrounding him, he reached the wise conclusion that it was he that was upside-down instead of the world.

"What the shit.." He breathed in his native tongue, and rolled himself off the wall. He wobbled to his knees, and noticed his outer shirt was now a but smoking, tattered memory. His black muscle shirt beneath was more-or-less intact, as was most of his long pants. He marveled a moment at his exposed false arm, now mostly a sooty black.

"..good ting is mostly carbon fiber .. " Ed said in English.

The smoke cleared some as he peered about, revealing the ruins of the blasted room. Not a desk remained, and the debris was all scattered about edges. He tilted his head as he recognized the remains of his created door. It fell noisily to the ground, and took a good chunk of the wall along with it.

Then, he saw Umbridge in the doorway. Her beady eyes were wide open, and quite owlishly looking about. Hair, toady face, and most of her once tidy pink sweater were as charred as his arm. Her head and shoulders in particular seemed to be smoking. She was swaying a bit, and, for a moment, it looked as though the only reason she still stood was because of the many students behind her - as though they were holding her up by their presence alone.

"Not nearly as bik as it shoult have been..." Ed said, and stumbled to his feet. "Guess deres more to Kimbley's Alchemy dan I tought...""

"Not.. As.." Umbridge repeated, and as he watched, she swallowed, and stumbled as she took a few steps, very nearly falling over completely. "Aurors...!" She said as she blinked hard. "Need Aurors..! Yes. Only way. Must monitor and control all half-breed filth.."

"I. Vill not." Ed said with narrowed eyes, and folded his arms. He walked until he stood toe to toe with the woman, and though she bested him by a good foot, she cringed backwards. "Be. Controlled."

She looked wildly around - obviously realizing that her stubby hands were completely empty..

.. and that she was absolutely helpless before him.

"Don't..." She stammered. "D-don't you dare .."

"Dere is big difference between us, turd vrate." Ed spat, and clenched his hands into fists, never wavering his glare. Ed stalked past her and stopped by the door.

He bent over and picked up and thin, stubby, soot covered object- Knowing well that it had to be Umbrige's wand.

He felt the familiar vibration in his chest as he stood back up, glared, then scowled, at the source. A few of the gathered Slythern students, wands out and quivering, stood in the hall. Some stepped back. One or two pushed their fellows forward.

Ed then noticed an number of Ravenclaws.. Griffindors.. And even a few Hufflepuffs in the hall before his created doorway. He caught a few whispers, and his brain duly translated only bits and pieces.

"Her wand..?" "He's a Muggle..?"  
"Idiot. Doesn't he.."

He gave the wand a little swing behind him with his right, as if he were tossing the vile thing towards the cowering Umbridge. The thing, of course, exploded.

The Slythern students jerked and jumped back - completely startled by the sudden noise produced by the now-ruined wand. He tossed the thing aside, glanced over his shoulder housing, and added.

".. Don vorry about firing me.. Ministry Appointed... Consider dis my notice to quit."

-break-

Harry shoved his cloak back into his bag, and quickly set himself to the task of carefully blending into the crowd. He was well aware that his sudden appearance was not going to be noticed much when he had his first glimpse of the great plume of smoke billowing down the seventh tower.

Then, he gaped at the towering, bat-winged, saw-toothed toad statues, (many of which featured some VERY rude hand gestures), that squatted menacingly the end of every stunted staircase, all of which now dropped short several meters of the ground; wondered at the numerous snake-scaled walks which hung and weaved together high overhead rather like human-sized highways, all of which passed through amazingly ornate doorways imbeded in the ancient stone; and tentatively navigated his way past many new thick stone walls, (and quite a few wide deep pits), he knew well enough had not been present before.

A loud impatient voice cut through the general din of the crowd.

"BACKVATER IDIOTS! LET ME TREW!"

Many bodies immediately moved back. So many, in fact, pressed against him, Harry found he was having some difficulty breathing because of the lack of space. He soon saw the very top of the blond head bob along in the crowd some meters away, and once it passed by the crowd let up enough that he could breathe freely once more.

A shuffling group of Slythern girls nastily hissed phrases that sounded suspiciously like "Muddy filth" and "Damn dirty Muggle" and Harry widened his eyes. He looked fleetingly towards the departing blond, and though he could no longer see so much as a lock of his hair, Harry's stomach seemed to drop to his very toes. He knew such rumor, however truthful, could not be good for his strange friend. Not a Hogwarts. Not with the Ministry right there..in the form of.. of..

Oh. Wait.

That's right.

She already knew.

Harry hopped on one foot as he looked for Umbridge .. Certain she'd be chasing after Ed still, but strangely, she did not appear.

He spotted Hermione by the fire with Ron in the Griffindor common room, sitting in her usual chair with Crookshanks curled contentedly in her lap. She glanced at him, face clenched tight with worry. "Reckon they know about Ed.. Um.. " Ron said lowly. "About him being a.."

Harry dropped his bag beside his usual chair and flopped down as he let out a breath. He of all people knew well just how quickly word spread in Hogwarts, and this...

This squatted in his gut as just wrong.

Harry rubbed his face. He heard awed shouts, and glanced to a group of Griffindor first years as they scrambled up the stone creature (that somehow vaguely resembled both a snarling overly-fanged dog and a many-horned sort of dragon) which spiraled up into a walkway that now lead to their dorms.

"Barmy Slytherns."

"What. A Muggle did all THIS?"

"Bollocks..."

".. wandless, AND silent! Swear!"

Harry waited for them to pass, then turned back to regard the fire.

"Yeah.. Think so." Harry replied in a dull voice.

Ron held his head with both hands as he continued in a whine.

"Why'd they have to go and do all this anyway? Mom'll have my head and blame me for Fred and George... Where'd they get that money to.."

"You don't suppose they'd.. Um. Fred and George.. Did they get involved with dodgy cauldrons or something..?" Hermione said.

Harry let out an exasperated snort. And launched into his explanation.. that the source of the twins funds was none other than himself, in a very subdued tone. Harry thought it would feel wonderful to finally tell them this secret, and though calmed his best friend slightly, the subject of the true source of his worry made him look bleakly at the fire once again.

"Bloody nutter." Ron grumbled again as he examined his shoe. Harry looked at his best friend, and knew then that Ron, too, was deeply worried for Ed in spite of his words.

He made his way alone by moonlight.

Once he was certain he was safely within the shadows of the forest, Harry removed the silvery cloak that hid him from view, and took out his map from his pocket. He held his wand to it, and said "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

There, hovering along with his own name at the edge of the forest, on that very spot, was the name Edward Elric. Though the moon lit up the grounds well enough for him to see by, there was no Ed to be seen.

Then he spotted the worn duffel bag laying beside a particular tree, one which featured a rather large, protruding limb. Keeping well in mind what he strongly suspected the blonde had done that day, Harry experimentally poked it with his sneakered toe. Half expecting Ed to be sitting on it, invisible or something, he watched with some disappointment as it fell limply over like the ordinary bag it appeared to be.

He let out a breath, and scratched at his prickling scar as his mind whirled. At the howl of a distant wolf, the noises of the forest suddenly stopped. Harry froze, his imagination easily providing many visions of the pack of werewolves rumored to be within this very forest- after all he had met one already, in the form of Remus Lupin.

In the frightened silence that followed, he heard something that sounded suspiciously like snoring, and furrowed his brow as he looked up at the source. There, tucked up high against the truck on a tree limb, one arm hanging limply down, was none other than Ed. Chin against his chest, face peaceful and smooth in his sleep, even at this distance he appeared to be so much younger than the 16 years he claimed.

Harry tapped his wand, and nervously chewed his cheek in thought. Though he couldn't have been asleep for THAT long, Harry knew Ed was a VERY heavy sleeper. And had a tendency to do.. things.. while in a sort of half asleep state; as explained somewhat by Dumbledore before he left- it was much like sleep walking. Harry had witnessed those sometimes complicated actions himself many times, and nothing short of an "ennervate" would wake Ed completely. Compounding that problem was the fact that Ed could somehow feel whenever a wand was pointed at him, and always reacted violently.

Harry certainly didn't want to startle his friend into that half-asleep state while attempting to wake him, and end up getting kicked or punched for the trouble.

So.

Harry picked up a rock.

A little rock no bigger than his thumb. Missing by meters both short and wide, he grumbled at himself at his lack of such a simple- albeit, Muggle- skill as it thumped uselessly back the dirt.

"Right." He whispered, not entirely sure why he did so, and took several large steps backwards.  
Just in case. He lifted his wand, took aim, and, at the same time braced himself.

"Rictusempra!"

Ed's reaction to the tickling charm was immediate; his eyeslids squinched tight and his back arched as a rolling bark of laughter erupted from his mouth. Then he over balanced, teetered dangerously over on the branch.. But caught himself at the last second before he was caught in what was sure to be a painful tumble to the ground.. He caught his breath, and said something in his language.. A something which sounded happy and ended with a joyful, "..Al!"

Harry couldn't help smiling at the sound, as he had never heard Ed sound like that in the months he had known him.

Then. Ed opened his golden eyes with a wide grin that Harry noticed was completely free from any kind of strain and looked around as if expecting to see someone. First, the eyebrows skewed upwards as the golden eyes scanned desperately around, then the smile was replaced by a small, disappointed, frown. He watched as the rest of his friend's face fell into a crushing sadness for but a moment - then quickly shifted to something completely unreadable.

Feeling like he had once again wrongly intruded into someone's privacy, and regretting his choice of spells, he pretended to fumble with his wand as Ed dropped to the ground.

"Took long 'nough Harry." Ed grumbled as he slung his bag over his right, and Harry bristled at the annoyed tone. "So. Show to me. Over vhere did you catch me?"

"Can I know why?" Harry said. Ed looked at him sharply, and narrowed his eyes. "With what you and the twins pulled..Um, look. I'm risking a lot with the toad just sneaking out and..."

Ed nodded as he made a little snort.

"Equivalence." Ed said simply. "I have question I must answer before I vill say for certain."

"Huh?.." Harry said intelligently. "You wanted me out here to ..to answer a question?"

"Yeah. Vhat of it.?

"Vright now I am only guessing on someting I need answer on. Am scientist. Guessvork is not someting I vish to rely on."

"Huh ..uh ..Scientist..?" Harry blurted without much thought, the word itself only registering in his head the second after he had said it aloud.

"Yeah. Alchemists ARE scientists, Harry." Ed said with rolled eyes. "Unlike vizards, ve. As scientists. Search for druth."

Harry, feeling more than a bit insulted, began to wonder why he bothered to come out to meet with Ed at all. After a few moments of silence, Ed only folded his arms, and unflinchingly returning his gaze. Harry's scar flared painfully, causing him to narrow his eyes.

"Vell?" Ed said impatiently.

Harry sighed, and, chucking his feelings of the moment into the 'not mine' category in his head, began the long trek towards the lake.  



	69. In which Ed speaks much and

A/N- Here are some revisions and additions.. - think I like how this goes...

Of course there are always minor tweaks and such to do, and given enought time, I would probably adjust this to death.

As always.. Thanks for reading and reviewing. -break-

Harry's scar continued to sear as they walked for what seemed like hours, mostly because of the dragging silence between them. Whenever Harry so much as took a breath to speak, he found Ed off looking to the side, or even behind him scrunched in such a way that made Harry go cold, then completely forget what he wanted to say.

It was as if Ed thought they were being followed, only Harry had seen and heard nothing that suggested such a thing. Not so much of a twig..

Snap!

Harry froze, and glanced to his side. He could just make out the shape of his friend in the moonlight. Ed was crouched, looking into the dark shadows of the forest, gloved fingers hovering just off the ground.

"Ed.." Harry whispered.

"Shh!" Came the hiss in reply from what seemed like the braid, followed by a quick hand motion over the shoulder as Ed kept his eyes searching the shadows instead of looking back at Harry.

Then, ever so slowly, Ed eased back up. His shoulders released their tension.

Harry heard more crunching noises... Glimpsed a horse-like dragonish nose emerged from the dark shadows. The gaze of a pair of shining white eyes, which rivaled the moon in brilliance, made him shiver slightly with their intensity. It was a several moments before Harry realized Ed stood beside him.

"Dhestral." Ed breathed.

"Yeah." Harry said with a dry throat.

"Dhought it vas an Auror. Or mabbe bear.." Ed said, and Harry's thoughts stumbled at the notion that Ed equated both as much the same. He looked the his strange friend only to see an unreadable expression on his face. "Are ve dhere yet?"

"That clearing, I think. Almost by the water..." Harry said, and as he looked at Ed's back once again, blurted. "um...Aurors.?"

"Yeah. vRight after I showed pink toady how awesome Alchemist I am, she vent a treatened to have dem come after me ..Pft." Ed kicked at a dirt clump. "Some game... " Ed added with a snort. "..Hardly any boundaries, are dhere?"

"..snitch's what makes it so.."

"Yeah yeah. I get it." Ed said absently as he looked around, then squatted to the ground, picked up a clump of dirt, and crumbled it in his palm. "Never had much time or patience for sports... Vould vrather really kick ass and get it over vith dan play pretend games of ritualized combat, made up vrules and .."

Harry's brain stumbled at that. Not sure if he should once again feel insulted or not, he blurted the first thing that his mind grasped- what he saw before him.

"So.. Um.. Can I ask what you're doing..? I mean.. What're you um. ..."

"Not sure if it translates. Iz.. Um.. For me to have um..." Ed chewed at his bottom lip, glanced down, and slapped his hands together striking off the dust. "Dhis place vas likely a battlefield vonce, vhere many many people died. If. Dhat is. Dhis is vreally place vhere I fell."

Harry took in a breath. He'd strode through this field often for years during Quidditch practice with Wood, the former team captain. Flown over it. Even crashed. Often. He was certain that if it were so, then there'd be some sort of plaque, sign..memorial. Something of the sort... But he knew well there was nothing.

"How'd.. I mean are you sure?"

"Yeah. I am. Iz only vay I.. " Ed cleared his throat. "Avray vas so large .. Vould have died if it vas NOT so. Vrebound vould have tore me apart before I even hit air.."

Ed looked up to the sky, and took a deep breath. Harry held his as he strode closer, not daring to speak now that Ed, long silent, was at last telling him at least something of what happened on THAT night.

"Shoult have vorked. De snail avray vas sound, only bigger to move mass of person. Vas aiming for somting vith my avray, someting very very far avay from here. Dhe connection broke. Zomehow." Ed lowered his eyebrows a moment in thought, then chuckled mirthlessly and added with a smirk.

"Great luck for me de vrebound energy snapped to de nearest ting dhat vas like de place." Ed glanced his way and the gold eyes met his green. "And also dhat dhere vas a somevone kind enough to catch me before I smash to ground."

"W-what were you trying for?" Harry said, and pushed his glasses back up his nose. Then remembered Ed had said he was searching for someone. "I mean.. Did you find.. Um.. your brother or.. Um.."

"Place called Liore." Ed replied. "And yeah, saw him just as de connection broke. Told you as much alvready."

"Yeah.. I remember. You said something like that in the infirmary." Harry said, and wondered if he should conjure up chairs. "Um. Liore, huh? What's it like? Where is it?"

Ed's face suddenly shifted and became unreadable, and as he looked down again his unruly bangs covered his face in shadow. Harry wondered if he had somehow said something wrong, but what could possibly be so wrong to ask where..

Harry's mind whirled, and his scar flared painfully. The thought of this open field possibly being the site of a battle swirled murkily and rung through his head. Then.. he remembered something he saw from the pensieve, something that had been haunting his dreams:

That sudden huge flash of red.

And the silent shadows of once-people that disintegrated before it.

"Vonder if dhere's someting below.." He heard Ed mutter, and watched as he rose to stomp his feet about experimentally. "Might be 'nough here to bind hundred souls to.. Tch...No. No. Vhat kind of idiots vould eber vant to be stuck as beink kaztle..?"

"They called you Major." Harry dared, and caught his breath as Ed froze. He watched Ed then straighten his shoulders. Harry ignored the guilt ridden flips his stomach performed, and pressed on. "Is that..um mean you're in some sort of.. Uh army.. or..?"

Harry watched Ed's back for several minutes, hoping for an answer. Ed was silent for so long, Harry let out an breath and examined his shoe.

"Look. You... Um. Don't have to answer. That red flash I saw was.. I dunno ..like those atomic films they make us see in Mu- normal school. Only.. Um." Harry stammered lamely.. The flash he had seen had felt a great deal more real to him than any of those black and white jittery films ever could. "If it's too painf.."

"I... A man keeps his vord vhen he gives it." Ed said evenly, if a bit dully. "'Major', iz my vrank in Amestrain Military. I vas.. Am. Youngest ever in history of my homeland to make de State Alchemist Division."

Ed said it all without a hint of a boast. As if it all were simple facts like the color of the moon in the sky. Ed took as steadying breath and turned to face Harry.

"And Liore... Liore va.." Ed shook his head slightly and corrected, "IS. On edge of de sandiest.. hottest.. brutal desert of de east.. Just south of de vruins of Ishbal. Beautiful people in spite of all de .. Who's dere!"

Harry heard another snap of a twig. Certain it was the thestral again, he didn't turn about right away like Ed had. "Elric." Harry heard in a coldly sneering voice, and he widened his eyes, completely dreading the necessity to turn about and face the one now behind him. The one he had wronged and thoroughly expected to be punished by. At the moment, in fact, he wished he was safely under his cloak.

"And..Potter..?" Snape drolled coldly. Harry turned his head, and looked in the shadows. Snape stood there, so that only his pale face was visible in the moonlight. "Whatever are you doing out this late? Surely not sleepwalking like you've often claimed.."

"Go avay, Severus." Ed snapped. "Iz none of your concern vhat he does vith staff member."

"..That rule would only apply to adult staff members, neither of which.." One corner of Snape's mouth twisted upwards. "..I am pleased to say, applies to you..."

Ed straightened up, and folded his arms.

"17 is "of age" by dat Ministry's laws. Am of age since.. Lessee.. Early February. Ant. Notices of Quitting in Education usually have required length of two veeks." Ed angrily shouted. "Now get lost!"

Snape's brows twitched, then moved downward as his dark eyes narrowed.

Harry, not knowing just what to expect, but certain it was sure not to be a good thing, prepared to take a single step away. Harry heard a loud grumble, one which seemed to come from Ed's midsection.

"As I thought from the display." Snape said coolly, and flicked his eyes towards Harry. Harry was careful to look to a tree to the left of Snape's head. "Elric, a word..?"

Ed rubbed his loudly roaring stomach with one gloved hand as he glared in Snape's general direction.

"Fine." Ed said through gritted teeth, and looked once to Harry as he strode off. Harry tried his best to listen.. Remembering something about a listening charm that Ron told him about...

-break-

Ed could barely tell that Severus had his wand out past the grumbling in his belly, and cursed himself inwardly that he hadn't thought to transmute some tasteless bread to fill it before now. Severus turned about just then, the hum feeling intensified, and Ed adjusted his stance.. but ended up staring dumbly at the glowing end of the damned stick before his palms made contact.

"How it is that you dare think you could best the Dark Lord in your current condition." Severus said in a cutting whisper.

"Dhat is none.."

"That is precisely what you would have to do once you were off the grounds..Do not tell me that was not your intention for by the bag I surmise that is precisely where you planned to go." Severus said a little louder now. "Do not forget what he wants you for. I assure you that he hasn't."

Ed folded his arms and lowered his brows.

"I only wish to make the seriousness of your situation quite clear." Severus said coolly.

The hum in his chest had not entirely gone away, and at this close a proximity, it was very difficult for Ed to judge the pulse of the energy. The light winked out suddenly. Then.. He felt.. Strangely free. Vaguely happily floating off in his mind, with no thought at all drifting along to burden him. His muscles, many aches included, were no longer within his awareness, but his vision did shift slightly to the right when his housing settled on his now greatly relaxed shoulder.

"This. Do not forget that the Dark Lord, no doubt as soon as you are well past the protection of Hogwarts, has planned on putting this curse on you himself." Severus said softly. "It is but the weakest of his many.. Ah.. Tools.. he will take great pleasure in using to break you.-Now.. Escort Mr. Potter back, then ..."

Ed distantly heard the phrase, instantly understanding it as an order. Rage boiled forth from deep within his insulted soul. His right leg twitched to obey, as if by reflex, but Ed himself, no longer content to be floating off in the quiet happy space of his mind, pounced back immediately to take control of HIS body.

"N- no." He angrily managed past his frozen deadened lips, interrupting Severus. He relished in all the aches in his ports he felt flowing back into his awareness, blinked hard, and took a deep breath. "No."

Guilt.. Ever his guilt.. The results of both his actions and inactions bombarded him next, and he lowered his head to his gloved hands as he again took up its massive weight. He then glared at the greasy haired man.

"No." He growled angrily at him and gasped. "Novone's dog. No."

Severus raised a single eyebrow on his otherwise unreadable mask of a face.

Ed looked away, panted, and gripped at his queasy, yet still rumbling, stomach.

"So that's it." Ed heard Severus say in a hushed voice. "You.. A nearly.. unbreakable.. That's how you.."

But the rest of what Severus intended to say was lost in the sharp crack! his jaw produced when Ed's right fist solidly connected to his palid face.

"Fukker." Ed spat, and glanced to the shocked looking Harry as he flexed his mechanical fingers. "I have tings to do. And You. Kan't keep me here."

He watched with some disappointment as Severus only staggered from the blow. After the man steadied himself, he looked pointedly to Severus' wand, and narrowed his eyes. Severus gripped the thing tighter as he worked his jaw, and, dark eyes watching Ed the entire time, carefully eased it into his pocket.

"Tell me what is it you are having Potter assist you with." Severus said.

"vWhat vwould you give me if I do?"

"Ah." Severus' face shifted into his usual sneer mask. "50 house points would suffice for such an extra curricular.."

"You kiddink me? If iz vhat I tink it iz, iz but vone of many dat form pattern in dis country. Is very bik ting."

"75. Then."

"Hum... 1000 iz nice round number. Cause it all started mabbe tousant years ago. Destroyet Alchemy, likely made Muggles. Oh, and mabbe doz verevolf tings... "

One of Severus's eyes twitched. Slightly.

"You have no proof. 500."

"750. I vould not be here, telling you, if I vasn't sure. And, for record. I don kare if you believe or not. Truth IS vhat it is."

"Sigh. Done."

"vRight. Eber heard of ting called 'Chamber of Secrets'?"

-break-

Harry watched Ed carefully, and as it looked like his strange friend was about to finally turn away from Snape, quickly whispered "finite" and pocketed his wand once more. Snape glared coldly at him, as if he knew just what charm Harry had cast. Looking as though the man was moving his way, accompanying Ed stride for stride, Harry suddenly felt the bottom drop from his stomach at the horrible thought of having to face Snape. Out there. In the field.

If Snape was still angry at him for looking into his memories.. Snape WAS once a death-eater... Anything could happen to him way out here..

Imagination flying in doomed dark circles that rivaled the dire predictions of Professor Trelawney, Harry decided that his footware was far more interesting, and dropped his gaze to his ratted shoes by moonlight.

"Severus tells me you know vay into dis Chamber of Secrets ting." Ed said in a huff, almost as if he were irritated. Harry looked to Ed, and saw that the blond held one arm close to his middle.

"Um.. What.. Are you alright?" Harry said. "Wha.."

"Fine. Fine." Ed waved irritably with his free hand. "Do you?"

"I.. Yes, I do." Harry said. "Is that what you think th-this is?" He added quickly and flicked his eyes at Snape as he glanced about the empty field.. His scar flared painfully as he felt a wave of strong dislike. Snape certainly looked as though he had smelled something nasty in that glimpse.

"Iz vorth investigating." Ed said. "Ant iz best to do so vith place intact. I could end up destroyink someting important odhervise."

Harry's brows knitted together, trying to imagine whatever could be..

"Um. I suppose you'd want to see the dead basilisk or something.." Harry blurted, cringing inwardly as he did so. It sounded, just stupid. Especially in light what he had seen in the pensieve.

"That, Potter." Snape snapped coldly. "is none.."

"Severus." Ed interrupted in an even tone. "Iz matter of equivalence. I vouldn't have gotten dis far if not for him."

Ed let out a breath, and looked to the ground, allowing his bangs to hide his golden eyes in shadow. A moment later, his face arose, once again, unreadable.

"You have questions for me." Ed said. "About vat you saw of mine."

Thoughts crashing into a hopeless tangle, Harry swallowed and flicked his eyes again to Snape. He saw the upper lip curl back. Slightly. And he was rather sure Snape eyes were directed at Ed that time.

"Yeah.. Um." Harry stammered. "That um town."

"Liore."

"Liore. Yeah." Harry said, and semblance of a question just poked out of his confusion. "You said you were trying for it. Um. Why couldn't you, say, uh.."

Harry flicked his eyes again to Severus, hating being on display before those cold hate-filled eyes.

"Why did you try it? Take such a huge risk? Where exactly is it that you had to go THAT way and not uh..just the usual Muggle way or something?"

Ed lifted his chin slightly as he folded his arms. It looked almost like a flinch, as if Harry had just thrown a punch.

"I shoult have tolt you earlier." Ed said carefully. "But who vould believe such a ting? Eben among vizards.. All I've seen of your vays... Tch. I still don't believe, and I lived it."

Ed let out a breath, and frowned. Harry waited.  
When gold orbs met his, Ed began again.  
"Liore." Ed said with great care. "Iz on different vorld dan dhis vone.."

Harry, mouth falling slightly agape, completely forgot about the pain on his forehead. 


	70. Dithering

A/N:

This chappy started out completely different. Wanted all action, and it turned into a fluffy filler. Ah well. Just makes the final chappy all that more fun. Maybe one or two to go now.

But who am I kidding, I may find more stuff to fluff up and stretch it out longer.

-break-

"Liore." Ed said with great care. "Iz on different vorld dan dhis vone.."

"What!" Harry blurted, and remembered many times at the Dursley's where television programmes of a sort came on, ones which his fat cousin Dudley flicked through before Harry was rushed back into his tiny cupboard. "Another.. planet? As in.. Like space? I mean.. Um.. Uh.. "

Harry gestured lamely up to the stars above their heads as his scar twinged painfully.

"You.. wanted to go.. To a completely different planet?" Harry said incredulously. "Brilliant! I had no idea that was even possible with magic but then I.. "

He saw Ed roll his golden eyes upwards, as if he were dealing with a particularly slow and dimwitted child. Harry stopped what he was saying, remembering a rather important detail:

Ed's brother.

Ed had said he had seen his brother.. in that Liore place.

Harry's mind, somewhat inspired by the searing pain assaulting his forehead, flew through the possibilities and took the plunge before Ed could say so much as a word.

"uh.. Right. Um. W-would mean um you're a.." Harry pulled at the half forgotten memory.. he had listened to those programmes and most often heard a particular word used on occasion. "An .. a-alien?"

"Fuk." Ed said, and muttered something in his language as he looked off with an irritated grimace.

Harry glanced to Snape, who stood unmoving to the side, and saw a curiously unreadable expression; his cold eyes glittered in the moonlight scrutinizing first Harry, then Ed with great intensity. So far, the hateful man had remained silent.

"Yes! Ant no!" Ed said in clipped irritation as he folded his arms and glared at Harry once more. He felt a chill, not unlike ice water, flow down his spine as he looked anew at those strange golden orbs.

So that was it. That was why Ed was so... The alchemist was not a wizard.. Nor even a Muggle.. Not really. It explained so much but. This..was so out of touch from what he had depended upon and even clung to for so long.. terrible unreasonable ice flowed into his veins from his spine, took hold, and pooled to fill all his limbs.

"I am from dhe Earth.. Like you, like anyvone else you know ant see and speak to. Just not DHIS Earth."

Harry's face scrunched in confusion, and he rubbed as his scar. It felt far too hot to the touch, nearly scalding his icy fingertips, and, for a moment, as he looked at his strange, now possibly- alien friend, he felt the familiar snake-like urge to bite. And rend. And tear. With his teeth. Yes. That would... be exactly fitting for such a disgustingly filthy.. Weak..hu..

A small voice within softly whispered. No. Not me. No. Not right..

He distantly heard Ed's loud ranting voice over the pounding din in his ears.. And ever so faintly over that the far off sound of a cruel, high pitched laughter.

"..Is concept clear enough now? Or must I be providing precise equations? Fuk! Nebermind! Is pointless since none of you VIiiZARDZ vant to understand simple SHIT nor eben admit vhen you are vrong!"

Harry clenched his jaw closed, against a disturbing sensation of a hot liquid dribbling down his throat. The world spun wildly about and beyond the blond before him, and he watched as Ed's golden eyes narrowed in concern.

"Harry? Are you.." He heard distantly, and felt his knees first wobble, then buckle beneath him. Then.

He wasn't aware of much anymore at all.

-break-

"..nightmares, however, I find that his delusions are not yet harmful in nature."

He heard a sneering voice say softly, almost grudgingly. The meaningless words floating about his consciousness but not quite piercing the thick veil of sleep he was currently wrapped in.

"That may rapidly change if he does anymore of these damnable large scale displays of his." A reedy voice whispered. "I suggest restraints..chains, for instance, would work beautifully. It's only a matter of time, Albus. He simply channels far too much to be healthy!"

"Thank you, Phineas, but no. We want to win his trust, after all, especially if such a tragedy should befall a so brilliantly sharp young mind." He heard a hushed voice say distantly.

"'Should'? Don't be ridiculous. His mind is cracking now! Entirely fabricating whole.. memories.. Of events that never happened!" The reedy voice, Phineas, hissed incredulously.

"Severus, I fear I must impose once again and leave him to you. As ever, observe him most carefully." The hushed voice interrupted calmly.

"There is still the matter of Potter's involvement." Severus said softly.

"If we are correct in our diagnosis, then I fear he will indeed be bearing witness to his friend's inevitable mental deterioration." The hush voice sighed sadly. "Under the circumstances, I believe a little exploration of the grounds with someone he considers a friend, especially while that friend is still in relatively good mental health, will likely positively contribute to the cause we have...as well as serve to keep Edward away from Tom.."

Snap!

He instinctively cringed into a tight protective ball and held his breath. About when the expected roar did not come to pass, he heard an amused, cold huff.

Slightly dazed, he took a tentative sniff of the air, expecting the stench of thick black soot, but instead found delicious somethings that made his middle feel like a hallow shell.

He cracked opened his golden eyes and peeked past his forearm, only to see the sneer mask of Severus looking down at him, dark blue discoloring his jaw. Ed flicked his eyes about, but saw no one else in the room. He looked for picture frames.. remembering that they were far from the static, lifeless things he was so used to.. But found none upon the bare walls.

"Eat now." Severus said coldly in thickly accented Amestrain, and strode away, shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

Ed bristled at the command, even as a well laden tray hovered tantalizingly by his nose. His stomach loudly rumbled its displeasure and seemed to gnaw on his spine.

Ever a slave to his hunger, he soon caved and tucked in. He vaguely recognized the room as Severus' quarters between swallowing the third mouthful and shoveling in the fourth, and that he was once again on the couch. Sometime later, stopping only because the tray was empty, Ed swigged down the last mouthful with a glass of water.

Snap!

This time considerably more awake, he stiffened and squinched his eyes closed; he only relaxed when he recognized the sound as that of a house elf doing whatever it did. Again, he heard a snicker, and cracked his eyes open to find Severus smirking, lounging back in an overstuffed leather chair.

Floating tray gone, Ed leaned his elbows on his thighs, and scowled at the man. Not at all liking being laughed at, he growled.

"Vaz iz it you fint zo funnie?"

"Not a thing." Severus replied in English, a thin smirk spread across his face.

"You are very poor liar."

"Not nearly as poor as you are at speaking proper English, I assure you." Severus sneered.

"English is stoopid language." Ed replied with a derisive snort. "Tell me how did I get in here..?"

Severus' eyebrow twitched, and a corner of his mouth curled upwards ever so slightly.

"Ah. What will you give me if I tell you?"

Ed lowered his brows and leaned back on the couch. He tilted his head and pretended to think for a moment.

"LESS broken bones." Ed said, with a solemn nod.

"How typical. You, like all Griffindors, suffer from the absolute lack of ANY subtlety."

"So vwhat. Still got de stupid missions done back home, eben if it caused more papervork."

"Ah. So your fantastic fabrications of the mind continue to deepen."

"Bite me." Ed said snarkily, and rose to his feet. "Anyvay I have dhings to do. Harry .."

"Potter. Is fine.." Severus said crisply.

"Like shit!" Ed snapped. "I saw him. His eyes vere .."

"Irrelevant." Severus interrupted firmly with an inscrutable expression on his face. "Potter has sufficiently recovered from his.. brief illness.. And I, unfortunately, will be need to be resuming his clearly needed remedial lessons this very afternoon."

Ed looked to the ground, and frowned.

"I am sure that even you, dullwitted though you may be, are able to determine that it is best for all concerned for you to simply remain in these quarters ..."

"Cut de shit. Vas is vrong vith Harry?" Ed looked to Severus, and narrowed his golden eyes. Severus returned his gaze, however coldly.

"I know vhat I saw and it vas NOT de first time I eber saw it. Is like.." Ed chewed his bottom lip as he raked his mind for the English he needed, and, as ever, came up empty.

"Tch. Your Amestrian is not nearly goot enough for me to explain it vright, and my English..? Pfft. Ok. I have um known ...SOME PEOPLE.. vith someting like it before. Back home. Um..." Ed wrinkled his nose and grimaced in his frustration to find words that came close.

"For the time being, Potter is MY concern." Severus said softly, calm and cool, from his chair. Ed shot a glare at him, and flexed his right into a fist.

"He is blended with somevone in ..spirit..? No. Not vright vord. 'Essence'. Isn't he?"

Severus glared coldly at him, but remained firmly silent.

Later that morning, Ed sat at the dour old writing desk and glared at the great pile of parchment stacked before him. He picked up the one he had been writing on, and swallowed thickly as he looked over his barely legible scrawl, written in careful English:

'Human Transformation Experimentation - Taboo Alchemical Practice of Bringing the Departed Back to Life. Major Edward Elric, Alchemist of Steel, State Alchemist of Amestris.'

"Idiot." Ed muttered irritably in Amestrain. "If you were home right now, with this as evidence, you'd be court martialed and either a dead man or the State's newest test subject for those twisted Alchemy labs..."

Ed set the paper aside, glowered at the pile of parchment, and rested his chin on the desk. He silently groused at the timely arrival of second tray of food- Meals always tended to make him agree to the dumbest, most ridiculous bets. Although this was not a wager, it clearly fit well within that category. He was only doing it to both pass the time, and complete his end of the bargain he had made with Dumbledore.

That they had found his penmanship simply that atrocious was nothing new to Ed. What his mind whirled around was Severus' chosen phrasing-

'Dumbledore cannot read Amestrain any more than Severus can'. Ed thought. 'Something's important there.'

Of course it might just be nothing but a limitation of the language.

"Fuk. Dis is vreally crazy bad idea.. Alchemical vork in both English AND vithout code?" Ed said softly, and by long habit, chewed on the end of the quill as he let both arms hang down. "Too easy for any of it to be misused... vill seriously hurt somevone vith eben de most zimple equations much less any of de vreal stuff dat ting..."

A thought occurred to him, and he smiled evilly.

"vRiiiight. If he vants dere to be no code.. Den I vill not have to be providing any vresearch notes..."

Ed dipped his quill in the ink, and began writing in earnest, unaware of both the gentle creak of the closing door, and the interested glance coming from Dumbledore's tiny image tacked up upon it.

When he heard a dull thump just beyond the door, he looked up, and noticed the orange tint of the sun's rays in the windows above. He saw that another tray had found its way to the top of his parchment stack, and snatched an apple from it as he rose to his feet.

He took a bite as he quietly slipped past the door, drawn to the room beyond as he heard Severus calmly say "Again! 1,2,3, Legillimens!"

He chewed and watched as Harry, his wand out, fell to his knees in apparent pain. As Harry slowly clawed his way off the ground, Ed casually leaned up against the stone wall.

"Pathetic. Once again, you let me in too far, Potter." Severus said coldly. "You must clear your mind of all emotion if you ever hope to.."

Severus stopped speaking, apparently having noticed that Harry was looking away with a hopeful expression, green eyes nearly pleading for some sort of rescue.

Ed raised an eyebrow. Gazing steadily at Harry, he said.

"I told you of my master, vremember?"

"Yeah." Harry's voice squeaked.

"Good. Be tankful it is not ME dat is teaching you right now. DARING to interrupt your own lesson? I vould take up my master's habit and happily toss knives at your head myself for such an INSULT."(1)

Ed ignored Harry's open mouthed expression of surprised shock, and looked over at Severus as he took another bite of his apple.

"I see you have much vork to be doing." He said as he chewed. "I vill vait by door."

He pretended he didn't see the slight curl that tugged at the corners of Severus's lips as he returned to the quarters.

-break-

Harry's forehead felt like someone was gouging their way into his skull with a dull, yet sizzling piece of iron by the time Snape dismissed him. It was dark outside when he slumped forward in relief, and, rounding his shoulders, trudged along, allowing his feet to find the way to his bed without much conscious effort. He didn't even notice the uneven set of footsteps stomping- that is, until he began to climb the stairs.

He stopped walking, feeling an icy rage trickle its way through him.

"Harry." He heard Ed say calmly.

Harry turned only his head and looked down at the blond below. Ed's hair was braided back into a rough braid, unruly bangs unruly as ever. Longsleeved black shirt, black vest, and long leather pants covered much of everything- though Harry could spot the mechanical bit of something by his neck.

The alien, nearly-molten gold eyes met his gaze steadily.

"Look like shit Harry."

"Yeah well, no thanks to you." Harry angrily snapped.

"Tell to me vhere de entrance is, and I'll go."

"Maybe I don't bloody remember where it is." Harry snarled. "You know bloody well Snape's been picking.."

"Don vant to hear it." Ed interrupted coolly as he climbed, and added softly. "Not here anyvay."

Ed's alien eyes flicked about, and he gave a little jerk with his chin, vaguely to the right. Harry glanced that way, but saw nothing but the shadowed draped hall.

"Toady may be in a meeting, but her kid 'jestasphoex' are valking de halls." Ed said in a hushed tone. "I don have a lot of time."

Harry lowered his brows and mouthed the word 'jestaphoex' as he turned away. It was plain what Ed was talking about, but the word.. The odd combination of constants and vowels which only tripped up Harrys tongue.. Well, it was like Ed himself. Weird.

No. Alien.

"Can't tell you." Harry grumbled as he resumed trudging his way upwards. Head pounding in agony with each heavy step.

"VHAT!" Ed nearly yelled, making Harry wince as the sound carved its way past his skull. "Stop being such a.."

"Just shut it.. You'll see bloody why when we get there, alright?" Harry snapped quietly over his shoulder, wondering again why he was friends with such a... a loudmouth.

The second floor girls bathroom looked much the same as he remembered it. He checked the stalls for feet as he entered, instantly regretting the slight movement as his stomach rose up in protest. He bolted to the nearest toilet.

He rested his cheek against the side of the bowl, wishing the pain in his head away really, when he heard familiar laughter roughly by his ear. He knew without having to look that it was Moaning Myrtle.

"Harry, it's about time." Sad voice nearly pleased. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about.." Harry heard the uneven footsteps slowly approaching, as her voice changed into something of an accusing snarl. "YOU! Have you come make fun of me?"

There was silence..

"No..I.." Ed's voice sounded.. Strained.

"..At least have the decency to look at somebody you're going to throw something at!" Myrtle wailed, voice nearly cracking at the last with tears.

Harry, with some difficulty, lifted his head and looked behind him. The insubstantial Myrtle was warily circling Ed, floating freely about as only a ghost could. He saw Ed's golden eyes wandering unseeing in all the wrong places, which only served to make Myrtle ever more upset. As she began sniffling, Harry remembered well the flood Myrtle caused the last time she felt this hurt.

"Um. H-he can't see you." Harry said as he leaned back against the stall, and mentally kicked himself. Myrtle was sure to take that as a personal insult and quickly added "He can't see any ghosts actually."

"Liar! They wouldn't let him be here if he can't see..!" Myrtle wailed. "This is some sort of trick to make feel worthless... Make me cry.. !"

Harry rather thought she was doing well enough on her own for that to happen.

"Ed.. Uh." He noticed Ed's face looked curiously pale, nearly as pale as the ghost's, and he seemed to be taking quick, shallow breaths. "..You ok?"

"S-she sounds just like.." Ed said softly, and swallowed. His eyebrows skewed upwards as he looked to Harry. "T-tell me. Vhat does she look like..?"

As Harry told him.. Ed became even more pale than Myrtle, and Myrtle herself looked, if anything, at first sadly curious...then utterly fascinated with the unseeing blond. Wishing to keep Myrtle from another upset, Harry ignored his own questions for Ed, introduced the two, and climbed to his feet.

Head pounding a bit less painfully now, he moved to the sink and found the snake shaped faucet. He then pretended it was a real snake and said simply, "Open up."

-break-

Ed heard Harry make some hissing noises, heard a rumble. He turned in time to see the reactionless transmutation taking place. He widened his eyes, and reached out with his gloved right to nearly touch the transforming wall.

"How is that possible..? Wow." Ed breathed in Amestrain. "Dos hissing noises are de trigger..?" Ed said in English, glancing to Harry.

"It's called parseltongue." Harry replied crisply.

Ed's brows creased, and he clapped his palms together and held them, fingers spread, before the open entrance.

"..And I'm the only one in the school that speaks it." Harry continued. "That's why I...what's..?"

"..could have told me. I kan hiss jus fine." Ed said absently as he too spotted the telltale blue glow forming a tiny line, to the side. ".. fragment..? How .."

He saw Harry reach out a hand.

"Don't." Ed said sharply, and looked to the clearly sick boy. "Iz..active. Touchink it badt. I tink it best you go now and get vrest you are neetint."

"No way." Harry said with a weak smirk. "I'm coming along."

"Vone. You so tiret you kan barely stant. Two. You don eben know vhat I lookink for."

"You need me to let you back out, right?"

"Vronk. Iz childsplay to dik myself out."

Harry folded his arms.

"You can't bloody well stop me from following after you. Besides, I can tell you're nervous about something already."

"Am not."

"Right. That's why you can barely pronounce English at the moment." Harry said.

Ed folded his arms and glared. Harry glared right back. Ed scowled then looked to the tunnel before him. He skewed his eyebrows up as he heard Myrtle's tinny voice call out.

"I'll save a place for both of you in my toilet.."

-break-

A/N: (1)- case you're wondering, this is much like what one would experience if one were to do such a thing in a good karate class. Minus the knife threat, of course. Substitute, say, a good toss to the mat or even a few punches.

Snape is very much like a teacher I had in high school. Highly unpleasant, always in a bad mood, sneeringly superior to us mere mortals, and favoring certain students. Yep. He was British.

I am of the opinion that not all teachers are, nor should be, touchy-feelly like how JK seems to wish they ought to be. I find a lot of her scenes, as a former educator, not only highly uncomfortable, but verging into professionally forbidden territory. Yikes! 


	71. In which Ed is convinced to blab

A/N- After going through some more reviews complaining about how confusing this chappy is... and since I certainIy do not want to be confusing readers.. I decided to completely section off a particular troublesome area, as well as cut a section out completely.

( It will reappear- sometime later if I can figure a good way to present it.)

This chappy does contain a lot of ideas and concepts. Hope I managed to make it easier to read, now.

Thanks for reading and reviewing:))

-break-

Ed stepped into the tunnel, giving the glowing blue bit a wide berth, and looked about carefully as he began the descent. Harry followed behind him, wand aloft and providing a weak light from the tip. They walked in silence for the most part. His head pounding and pounding with each step, Harry's irritation at Ed grew as they made their way. Ed hardly ever bothered to look over his shoulder, not even when Harry stumbled bad enough that he nearly fell.

As Harry caught himself this time and regained his balance, heard a distinctive sound. He looked up and saw Ed a few steps to the side of him, hands held aloft once again.

"W-What're you.."

"..like vith entranze.." Ed mumbled and lifted his chin. Harry looked up as well, and gasped his wonder when he spotted first one, then dozens of glowing blue lines hovering about in the darkness.

"How'd you.." Harry said."Those weren't here last time.."

"Not me. Dey are part of vhat I lookink for. Ant vatever dey are for, dey been here for lonk time." Ed said.

"Um, if you have no idea what they are.."

"Neber said dat." Ed said.

"Well.. What are they then..?"

"Fragmentz." Ed said, as if that were the too obvious answer, and stepped down. "Come."

Harry followed once again, managing quite a few steps before stumbling once again. A few more after that, his knees gave, struck painfully upon the unforgiving stone, and he felt himself tetter.

ooooooooOOOOOOOoooooo

He was approaching the doorway in a darkened hall. It opened before him and by the light of many blue candle flames, found himself in a round room with many doors. Excited now, he easily found and bounded to the door he was looking for.. Pushed it open with eager fingers. He stepped through into a bright twinkling light, and..

His eyes adjusted to the golden brightness. In moments, he saw that he was in a huge ornate hall. He stepped forward. There were at least three levels. He saw many marble columns, and decorative red drapes that poorly hid the many empty seats. The place was huge, and he heard his own footsteps echoing as he walked towards the blue light on the ground. And the large drooling thing crounched low before it.

Then he saw him.. Kneeling on the ground like a broken doll. Golden hair and eyes, dressed all in black: HIS true son.

A feral grin spread upon his face. The boy actually survived? That? No matter. He knew that he was still far stronger than any measley pathetic human. His only true possession, his name, came to him.. Ringing clear like a bell.

He was Envy, and no one was better.. At anything.

The half-metal boy scowled at his approach and laughingly charged without any hesitation. Envy playfully leaped about, easily dodging his many kicks, punches, until..

The wretched boy somehow got behind him and swept him from his feet. His unforgiving metal arm wrapped its way around his throat without hesitation. Suddenly, Envy regretted his decision to have lungs, for they were certainly burning now.

"Is that the best you can do? Guilt trips? I killed Sloth, remember? While she was wearing my mother's face!" He heard hissing in is ear. Ah! So weak! Here was a weapon he could easily use.. He concentrated, made the change.. This would be so delicious..

There was a satifying red flash.

"That must have been hard for you, dear." He said in a sultry female voice, and jabbed backwards with his elbow only just hard enough to break a rib: It wouldn't do to end the fun too quickly.

He glanced back to see what was sure to be the boy's tortured face, only to find a fist. And another, and another. Before he knew it, he was on his back, laying on the ground.

Impossible.

The boy was on his chest, still punching, at just the right spot that leverage didn't allow Envy to move..

"..what you really look like.."

"You wanna see?" He roared in his rage. "You asked for it!"

oooooooooOOOOOOooooooo

He opened his eyes and saw Ed's golden irises up real close- Close enough to see they were certainly not entirely gold, for even in the dim light he could see tiny bits of what looked like green and gray.

"Harry..? Are you.."

The boy was motionless at last, holding back his next punch.

Here was the opening..! NOW! Right there..! He swung with his right, concentrating to make the tranformation. There was a meaty thunk.. Harry distantly heard a sickly..wet wonderful sloshing sound... And a gasping grunt. He laughed wildly with the incredible success!..as the spike that was his arm went cleanly through..

...Or so he thought..

He could see that his arm was extended before him and cleanly lead to Ed's chest. His pinky in particular was bent a bit weirdly, and it all looked quite different than the dream image that was slowly fading..

A dream! It was a dream.

His scar burned horribly, and suddenly his arm was gripped firmly with two strong, unyeilding hands. It was painfully twisted and bent in ways he didn't know it could- and then something inside it went pop!

Somehow, by the pain that he thankfully could not feel, he realized how right he was.. An arm was certainly not supposed to bend THAT way.

Awake now, he gasped.. But the blond was far from finished.. The booted foot blocked his vision, and he felt something in his side first crack, then explode in agony. He was in the air.

And the ground came up to meet him.

Now on his stomach, he glimpsed a flash of blue lightening, and moments later felt the bite of a knife's edge against his throat. Rough hands unkindly pulled his head back by the hair, and a painful weight pressed solidly upon his back.

He squinched his eyes open, looked up into darkness. Where, impossibly, something moved.

So did the knife..

Ed coldly hissed something he couldn't understand in his ear as the knife bit painfully into the skin beneath his chin and held steady. It was so eerily like what he had just seen that he nearly believed it to be a continuation of the waking dream. Clinging to that hopeful wish, he felt the knife's edge poke ever deeper into his tender skin.

Ed repeated the phrase, whatever it was, in something of a cold growl.

"Elric!" Snape's voice said coolly from the dark.

Snape slowed emerged from the gloom, cold eyes glittering and wand aloft. Harry, through the pain, was aware that the weight pressing on his back shifted.

"Though I sympathise with your desire to cut Potter's throat, I simply must insist you release him."

Ed took a breath right next to his ear. Harry squeezed his eyes shut and hoped with all his might that this was all just a dream.

"Do not take dis vrong vay, Severus: Fuk off." Ed said slowly. "You vizards have no idea. Just. Vhat. You are dealing vith."

"Was I unclear? I said release him. Now."

Ed growled something again, then slowly, with exaggerated movements, released his hold. Hands up and open, he purposely stepped well away from Harry. That was when Harry realised that the wicked knife was fused to Ed's right wrist; It was, in fact, his mechanical arm.

It was as he had long suspected: Ed certainly DID know how to use such a weapon. Harry felt icy fear pooling into his veins, trembling at the thought that it was he who had been the target of the blond.

"Get up, Potter." Snape said coldly. "Tell me what happened."

"I.. I don't know." Harry said, and winced as he cradled the ruins of his arm.

"You tell me you don't know whatever it was that provoked.." Snape stopped speaking and as he looked to Ed, his face shifted into an unreadable expression. He kept his wand steady as Harry glimpsed Ed paw at the center of his chest.

Harry touched his throat with his fingers, and when he looked down them, he saw blood. Harry looked to Ed's bone white face.. And shivered.

Had Ed just tried to kill him..?

"As long feared..." Snape said sneeringly, "... Elric. You are far from well."

"Fukk you Severus." Ed snarled. "Am fine."

"Physically." Severus raised an eyebrow, and sneered. "Well, certainly as sound as can be expected in your condition, anyway."

"Sir..?" Coughing to clear his throat. It sent agony through his side and though he wished to, he couldn't very well cradle both his ruined arm AND his aching side at the same time.

"Come now, Potter." Snape sneered. "Any nitwit could have worked it out by now. Certainly after what he told you just last night." Snape scoffed. "..Another world indeed."

"But.. What I saw.." Harry said. "The p-pensieve.."

"I remind you that the mind is ever a complex thing, Potter." Snape said coldly. "It will fabricate where injury or some sufficiently traumatic experience renders it unable to function normally. I have little doubt that what we both saw was nothing more than a fabrication."

"My life iz no fabrikation, avrrogant zhit." Ed snarled, accent so thick now it took a bit for Harry to work out what he said.

"And now here you are attacking students.. in response no doubt to your mind's frequent errors."

"I hab no proof of vere it iz I am from, but diz shoult be more dan enoff to zhow vat juz happenet."

Harry puzzled out the meaning of the garbled English when Ed angrily pulled open his shirt with his left, popping buttons as he did so, and pulled down the wide collar of his dark undershirt.

Harry clearly saw an angry red welt in the very center of Ed's chest, with what looked to be five shallow but bleeding claw like marks. He looked to his own fingers, which he still could not feel, and saw that every one of them were bent at weird angles.  
Ed glared at Snape.

"Harry iz lukkie I notizet zometink ant.." He snapped.

"I-it went right through...?" Harry interrupted softly, without enthusiasm, just as Snape took a breath. "S-straight through your heart and o-out the other side... "

Ed looked hard at Harry.

"Y-yeah. Yeah someting dit. Vonce." Ed's eyes narrowed. "D-dat from de boll..?"

Harry shook his head slowly.

"J-just. I-I must've fallen asleep and.." Harry looked at his ruined arm and mumbled. "I was.. Who ever did that..horrible.. That thing to you. It was so real... And I..it had to have.."

He looked up over to Ed.

"H-how..? How could you survive t-that?"

Ed's arms went limb to his sides, and Harry saw him wobble on his unsteady legs. His golden eyes wandered all over, squinched in pain, found the ground, then flicked up to meet his eyes once more. In that moment, Ed looked completely lost.

As he watched, a sort of smile that strongly resembled a grimmace graced Ed's too pale face. And, instead of answering, he turned away.

-break-

He flicked his eyes once to Severus, and turned about away from them both. He could feel alchemy in the place, vibrating so overwhelmingly that he could no longer feel the wand that lit their way, nor the wand that he was sure was still pointed at his back by Severus.

"Elric." Severus called warningly behind him.

Ed felt so empty that found he couldn't care less about whatever the man had planned to shoot him with. Instead, he looked up at the floating fragments, and focused on the music of alchemy within his mind. No pattern came to mind as his throat tightened.

"Harry vill be fine. Jus broken arm. Tink I bruised rib, too, but is hard to say vith piece of crap I vearing. You vizards.." Ed swallowed a lump. "You hab bone fixing potion. Von eben be hurtink for long."

"The polite custom is answer the question one is given." Severus said tepidly.

Ed waved over his shoulder as he took a few steps down.

"Ed..?" Harry said in a sort of gasping squeek.

"Answer." Severus said in Amestrain, near enough to the command version of the word that Ed bristled, and fisted his hands in reflex.

"Things.. Have changed." Severus called in the same language. "Now speak."

"..Please." Severus added in a tepid English, and Ed stopped. He turned and saw the man make a grand show of pocketing his wand.

Ed took a breath and let it out. He felt his eyes pooling, turned away. Then, after a moment, turned back.

"Dat fight vith de master alchemist I tolt you about months ago iz vhen it happened. Took me tree whole minutes to... to.. Bleed out. I vremember fighting.. trying to.. Just move. Do.. someting.. to get my brodher avay and out of dere before I." Ed looked away. "And I jus.. Couldn't. I vas vright at de gate, about to cross ober and he.."

Ed swallowed, and looked down a moment.

"Ven I voke up, I vas completely whole.. And my brodher? He vas gone. He va ..had found and correctly used a stone, and it still cost everyting..to bring me back."

Ed wiped his face with his gloved left, then looked up at the fragments floating above. His throat absolutely ached, but, thankfully, his cheeks stayed dry.

"Your.. brother.. Was an Alchemist I take it..? Not at all a wizard by any stretch..?" Severus ventured.

Ed shook his head.

"Back home dere is no such ting as dis.. Muggle and vizard shit. Unlike dis stoopid unbalanced magic of yours ..Vith me being dhat injured, he had to.. Equivalence demanded dat he. He..."

"Die? Instead of you?" Severus said evenly.

"He took my place." Ed said flatly with a slight hitch in his voice, and looked down. "Vas only vay.. Eben vith de stone.. De price he paid.. For me... vas very much too high."

"Ed. I'm.. Sorr.." Harry began.

"Dont...!" Ed fiercely interrupted. He looked over to Harry, and inwardly winced at the damage he had caused the boy. The entire arm was turning purple already, and even in the dim light he could his green eyes were slightly glazed with shock. Ed forced a smirk on his face. "... I saw him, vremember? He's alive! Alive! That's all dat vreally matters to me."

Ed let out some air through his nose in a sort of reverse snort. He looked hard at the ruins of Harry's arm for several moments, then slapped his palms together. Harry gasped, nearly bolted, but fell and cringed instead.

Predictably, Severus' tensed and went straight to his wand.

"Elric." The man growled."What're.."

"Shut it ..Just changing it back." Ed said, and touched his arm. A blue flash later, the plate was back in its proper place. "He may have that souless freak, but he doesn't know me."

"Huh? What're.." Harry said, and cringed away as Ed approached. Ed took off his black shirt, kneeled, and began arranging the cloth into a makeshift sling.

"Just figured someting out." Ed said, as he worked. "Voldie's.."

"Do not dare speak that name!" Severus snarled. Ed glared at the man.

"VOLDEMORT. Just tried to take Harry's life. He knew jus de vright buttons that vould make me, vith all my survival instincts, vreact a dis certain vay vithout tought. I find such a ting..." Ed buzied his hands, lifted the sling over Harry's head, and though he found English greatly lacking, said through gritted teeth. " ..highly annoyink."

"But.. I was the one who.. I fell asleep and let.." Harry muttered. "I.."

"Let me make myself clear. You. Are not de vone at fault." Ed said firmly, and slipped the sling under the ruined arm. "Moldieshorts can do much trew dat bond you hab. Get flashes of temper. Frustration. Laughter. Stray taught here and dere vhen you are most very tiret. Dreams ..ant odher stuff. How's dat?"

Ed tied the last knot.

"Um.. Fine.. I guess." Harry muttered down to his ruined arm, then his green eyes rose to Ed's gold. "How.. How do you...?"

"Jus knew somevone vith similar bond."

Ed lifted his left.. And adjusted the annoying strap running across his chest. With a glance to the corner of his eye, he saw that Harry's eyes flicked to the much abused array scar on his forearm.

'He's a bit slow, but maybe he got it?' Ed thought.

"You have mentioned this. Someone.." Severus said slowly. "...To me before. I would hear more about this. Person."

Ed looked to Severus, and found his face unreadable. He looked back to Harry, and saw an expectant expression on the boy's face. Ed swallowed, then took a breath and decided to lay the truth bare.

"Dis person ...He ..um.. made very stupid mistake vhen he vas younger.. Is no excuse, but DAT bond was forged vith his little brodher as result of de.. uh. DISASTER dat took much from dem both."

Ed looked to his right clicked his mechanical fingers one by one; Working through a familiar routine so he could keep his voice steady as he rambled.

"..So it is vreally about two. Persons. Dey vere .. ARE.. so very close... Much like you how know de twins are, Harry. Completing each other's taughts.. Sentences. Knowing vhat vone needs almost before the odher is even avare of it. All because of de bond of mingled essences and.."

He glimpsed the color drain from Harry's face, and watched it contort with horror as the boy made the connection to vhat the bond would mean. Ed looked down, and climbed to his feet.

As he brushed off his long black pants, he heard Harry ramble.

"I.. Awful.. I want nothing to do with..with...how am I supposed to..No. No.. I won't..He's so.. Horrible and evil.. And.. And..No. No way."

Ed looked to the darkness ahead and didn't blink.

-break-

Harry watched Ed tilt his head and look hard at the round door that was the entrance to the chamber. He was muttering softly in his language and, of course, Harry didn't understand a word.

As he flicked his green eyes to the impassive Snape, he toyed with the idea of asking for a translation, since he had just discovered that the greasy git actually spoke Amestrian. It was a passing thought, one which filled him with all sorts of imagined horrors, and when his scar twinged rather painfully, he turned his attention back to Ed.

Only to see Ed was now tracing the air with one his gloved fingers, as if he were touching something only he could see. The sight served to remind him of Snape's suspicions: that his friend was possibly, truly, quite mad.

His arm throbbed heatedly in the makeshift sling, and he found himself wondering if the bond Ed had spoken of.. The one he had just hinted he had with his missing brother.. was the cause of Ed's possible madness. And if so.. Would that mean much the same for himself? Especially considering it was Voldemort he was bonded with? Would he eventually end up going completely mad?

A small voice within whispered, 'Was he already?'

He shook his head, then yawned hugely.

'No...' He thought to himself, even as a large part of him wondered if he even knew what madness was really like.

At that moment, he wished Hermione and Ron were along with him, to tell them everything, and most of all, to hear their advice.

"Ah..! More fukken fractals..!" Ed said absently. "Trikkie trikkie.."

"I have indulged you quite long enough, Elric. Potter..!" Snape drolled, sounding faintly bored.

"I hab it.." Ed said irritably. "Jus.."

Snape looked coldly at Harry, and Harry, knowing well that the look promised many long hours of detentions should he defy the man, walked up to the door. Once again pretending the carved snakes were real, he said simply, "open up".

Harry looked to Ed, as his friend wrinkled his nose in apparent irritation. At his next breath, Harry discovered just how wrong he was as the stench of rot rolled over him.

Harry certainly couldn't stop at wrinkling his nose, and since his stomach was currently empty, bent to make do with a sort of dry heaving that did not hurt his aching ribs. He heard similar sort of coughing nearby, and knew, without having to look, that it was Snape.

"Ugh. Basilisk vright?" Ed managed before he covered both his nose and mouth with a gloved hand.

Harry nodded and heaved nothing once more, now glad that Ron and Hermione were far far away.

"You.. feel dat?"

"Feel what?" Harry said.

"N..Notink.."

He heard a distinct sound, as Ed had done before, and looked up in time to see him spread his fingers...

.. And the sudden light blinded him. Even with his eyes squinted and shielded somewhat with one arm, he barely made out the riot of colors flashing and flying all around.. Dazzling ..breathtaking patterns and bare fragments alike spun wildly through the air..

"fuk..!" He heard Ed gasp in a strained.. Nearly pained... voice, and heard a whump! Followed by the rough rustle of leather. Harry remembered one very real fact about Ed: he was a Muggle.

Another fact arose in his tired mind to join the first:

The Chamber of Secrets was built by a powerful wizard who not only highly prized blood purity, but likely despised Muggles of all sorts.

Even those quite possibly either mad or from other planets. 


	72. my alchemical romance

A/N: Thanks for reading/ reviewing!

I hope I caught all the errors. Anyhow final version, that is, until I feel otherwise- It IS the internet:)

I realise I COULD have ended this fic with this chappy here, but that would be too cruel, and not to mention not that fun. There are still some points I want to present, (like wtf is going on with Ed's scar?)- if Ed will let me.

-break-

A bear is scary, true. But a bear is truly terrifying when it's locked in a bathroom with you.

-break-

He took in a breath..

And it was as if he floated in the blinding white, suspended in place by the millions of reaching white hands from before his outstretched palms that gripped, grappled, and gouged each other in their effort to reach him.

Unable to move, he could nothing about it. Nothing but watch.

He let the breath out.. and tore his gaze away as he saw a faint hint of blue amongst the ocean of white. On his left, his golden eyes traced the pattern of the much abused array scar, glowing clearly, if faintly. A thin, broken, cobweb of energy trailed from it.

He drew in a second breath as he saw many tiny black hands tearing forth in a fury. He widened his eyes as he traced the source.

There, not on but IN his gut, a great shadowy eye snapped opened. Thousands tiny black hands wreathed from his middle.. He felt a bone chilling thrill of horror, then he was airborne- thrown backwards with a sudden force.

His backside struck against something hard. In that split second of closing his eyes on impact, the white and the black hands vanished.

All the air expelled from his lungs, as his back also struck the solid thing behind him.

He only saw the room beyond the round door. Briefly. Glimpsed the tantalizing symphonic shimmering alchemic patterns and thousands of trailing, glowing cobwebs.. before his eyelids grew too heavy for him to keep open.

OooooooooO

The too bright light faded abruptly and Harry blinked.

He heard a groan behind him, and as he rushed off was surprised to find it was Ed slumped over upon one of the dirt steps. Ed had only a moment before been slightly ahead of him at the very entrance to the Chamber.

"Tell me what just happened." Snape snapped in irritation.

"Tssst.." Ed opened his golden eyes a mere crack and winced as if he were looking at the sun. He looked about with unfocused eyes in a mix of confusion and pain, completely ignoring Snape, an act which Harry knew would only serve to anger the man.

"Ed..?" Harry said as he patted his sole living arm.

"Dontouchme!" Ed winced away, however unsteady and uncoordinated, and revulsion flashed plainly upon his features.

Harry immediately lifted his hand, feeling a bit sore that Ed had rejected his touch. Did he sense Voldemort in him, and was he as repelled by it as Harry was?

"Shit!" The golden eyes widened. Clearly in a panic, Ed quickly pawed at his middle, then gingerly patted the rest of himself.

"Ed?" Harry said.

"That THING! It opened it opened.."

"Um.. Yeah. I opened the door, remember?" Harry blurted.

"Not dhat! Fuck! De ting in de vhite. I just saw it and dere's alvays a toll vhen it opens..! It vas vright here.!"

Ed held his hands over his stomach. Pale face sweaty, so sincerely panicked and full of true fright as he looked up at him, that Harry sat back on his heels. He had become accostumed to thinking that Ed was not frightened by much anything, really, and to see him like this...

He remembered the massive thing the boggart became when Ed faced it.. How Ed stood before it, square shouldered and sturdy-like..

No.. Ed definitely didn't look this frightened then, even though that was supposed to be his worst fear.

"Calm yourself Elric. I assure you that everything is well." Snape sneered as if he were speaking to a dull witted child. "Did you, by any chance, find anything remotely useful by that little stunt of yours..?"

"Yeah." Ed said, voice pitched weirdly by his quick panting. "Is definitely. Is..fuk dis english.. K-krest- pakked f-ful vidh alkhemie.. I zaw..I zaw.."

Ed pulled his legs up to his chest, and tucked his head down so that his unruly bangs hid his face. Harry grew so quite alarmed when his breathing soon became a sort of wheeze, that he had to stop his good hand, only letting it hover by Ed's living shoulder.

"Easy. " Harry said softly, and gingerly patted his fingers down. He felt only a bit relieved when Ed did not wince away from his feather-light touch, as Ed, to his surprise, was instead trembling. Much like Ron often did after a nightmare about spiders, or Nelville at the mere thought of facing Snape alone.

"What was that?" Snape snarled "some sort of novice mistake..?"

"I tolt you dis before, Severus. Iz Basic avray safety." Ed said in sharp irritation, and Harry saw through the poor show for what it was as Ed was very much still shaking all over. He sounded quite angry, but that certainly was not anger quivering beneath his hand. "Vhat is in dere beink vreaction to arvay I become... do not like repeatink myself!"

"Really now." Snape's upper lip curled. "Shall we see what you have revealed then?"

"You don get it. I. Kant go in dere." Ed said, and raised his head to regard Snape's cold leer and single raised eyebrow..

"If you are too much a coward to..."

"Iz not about me, greasy freak. Look. If I do go in, de equations dat are in dere vill all go off to do truth knows vat to kastle. Or shoot along to odter krests.. IF dey exist."

"It's. I think it's because you're a Muggle.." Harry said. "Um.. Isn't it? I mean.. Um.. It's well known that Salazar Slythern didn't much like muggle-blooded witches or wiz..."

"N-no." Ed said as is tasting the word, then looked thoughtful as he looked again at Harry. "... yeah.." Ed shook his head and wrinkled his nose. "..Maybe..."

"Potter." Snape looked coldly down at Harry, and folded his arms.

Harry certainly had no intention of going back into the Chamber, just to see the rotting corpse of the basilisk.

"Sir." Harry said, doing his best with his good shoulder to his offended nose. "If I recall right, that thing in there is rather..uh bulky, and hard to manage to get past without..um..It's just. A huge mess.."

Harry left off, and turned, instead, back Ed: face pale hidden again by that golden curtain, and arms wrapped ever tighter about his middle.

"Very well." Snape said with much displeasure in his tone. "Another time, perhaps."

Harry repeated the whole thing to Hermione and Ron the very next morning. Ron had his mouth stuffed with no less than four pancakes, and Hermione simply looked intent on listening to his every word.

"Ee?WaddIdelloo.." Ron said, and added emphatically after he gulped down some orange juice. "A nutter."

"So you agree with Snape?" Harry asked incredulously, for he knew very well Ron disliked the man as much, if not more, than he did. As he glanced to his formerly smashed arm and worked his fingers, Harry still found it highly difficult to find anything good about Snape.

Ron raised his brows, then looked as though he had smelled some of the basilisk rot himself.

"But. Another world..?" Hermione breathed, and narrowed her eyes."That really would explain..."

Hermione packed up her books and rose from the table. Harry and Ron, used to her ways, waved their good-byes.

"Wachareckon?" Ron said, looking at her departing form. "Library? Or early class?"

Harry smirked.

"Library." Both said with a nod, and, neither feeling the need to look at the other, continued on with the task of eating.

OoooOooooO

"Al..?" Ed gasped and looked about expectantly. But there was only the creak of leather to greet him, and the gloom of pre-dawn.

As he lay on his side, facing the back of Severus' leather couch, he was immediately aware that his right was clutching left forearm. He felt a blanket draped over him, but to his irritation, his longsleeved shirt, which would have likely prevented the annoyingly recurring self-injury, was missing: His much abused scar was, once again, stinging greatly.

With a resigned sigh, he got up, and kicked off the warmth. By the candlelight that flickered to life when he soundlessly closed the door to Severus' bath, he saw the bloody mess he made of himself in the mirror.

The entire thing was bleeding freely now, as if he had carved it anew in his forearm instead of simply tracing it with an automail finger in his sleep. With a disgusted noise in his throat, he turned on the tap and began washing.

He grabbed a towel from the rack, pressed it to the wound, then began rummaging around the drawers and cupboards for bandages. That was when the image on the wall caught his eye and held it.

In moments, he was so fascinated, he turned about to look at it closer.

It was one of the wizarding ones... Two people in motion, then replaying the scene. One was a very scrawny and younger, though very dour looking Severus, sitting on a low wall with a book in his hand.

The other.. had flowing red hair and green eyes. Though the shade of color was off, the shape of her face and eyes were just like..just like.. and though his mind was resolute about the truth, his left, his traitorous left, ran its finger down the curve of the woman's cheek without error.

"You know her."

Severus accused from the door. Ed wasn't even aware of when it had opened, much less how long he'd been staring. He fumbled with the towel, and much to his chagrin, the cloth seemed to be fused with his injury. His mind whirled through the quick, however embarrassing, calculations. The truth of it was:

He'd been spellbound.. Transfixed by that image for at least half an hour.

"No...I..!" He looked back at the image, and swallowed.

"Liar."

Severus looked at him coldly, wand raised. Ed felt the vibration, but didn't care what he got hit with. Seeing the woman smile.. his mom's smile... again and again and again. He closed his eyes tight, clenched his teeth and turned away from the too tempting thing.

As he pushed his way past Severus, the man mercilessly grabbed hold of his injured arm.

Severus furiously dug his fingers into the injury until Ed gasped and opened his golden eyes in reflex, at which time the man looked directly at him and hissed, "Legillimens!"

The light fading from her eyes on her last day alive. He found himself again sitting on the bed, holding her hand and nodding desperately at her last request.

"Be sure to make some flowers for me, dear." She breathed. His breath hitched, both in memory and in real time, as he was forced to see the light leave her kind eyes once again.

He found himself on his knees, held up only by Severus's grip on his arm- not quite aware of the pain it caused anymore.

"Filthy. Liar." Severus growled. "You did know her. How..? How! That was certainly not how Lily died...!"

"So dats her name." Ed said with no strength left, tears freely dribbling down his cheeks. Severus nearly threw his captured arm down, face flushed and twisted in an expression that Ed, at that moment, was far from capable of reading. Instead, he swallowed, and cradled his injury.

"Dere are..doubles.. Here. Of people I knew back home. I keep running into dem vherever I go, and I try.. Hab to. To keep reminding myself dat dere not ..not who I tink dey are."

"THAT'S ridi.. I find that truly difficult to believe." Severus snapped. Then asked. "What. The woman on the bed. What was her name?"

"Trisha. Trisha Elric." Ed said, and looked away at the floor as he ground his teeth as the familiar rage rose. "Bastard didn't bother to show up for her funeral, much less marry her."

After a moment, Ed glanced up and noticed the raised eyebrow, and a rather expectant look.

"Hohemheim, ok?" He growled and pushed himself back to his mismatched feet." Tch..."

He lifted the towel from his much abused scar. Some of the wound reopened, but he ignored it and tossed the towel into the hamper.

"Any more of dese.. Damned ghosts.. And you vill get your vish, Severus. I vill be gone inzane."

When he looked at the rumpled leather couch, he realised he had more than his fill of Severus.

There wasn't really much of a point to trying to go back to sleep, certainly not after he stormed himself through Severus's bedroom. He didn't bother to look back at the man at all. Instead, Ed continued on through to the only exit, intent on reaching the sanctuary of dust covered and musty old books offered by the library.

Braiding his long golden hair back into a rough single braid as he went.

The rising sun just kissed the morning sky when he pushed through the doors: Just as the flustered librarian was saying a sleep mussed "alohomora."

Some hours later, after he had sequestered himself and his ever growing pile of research in the most remote and quiet area he could muster, he found himself quite thankful that the library had extended its hours due to the quickly upcoming O.W.L. examinations.

That is, until the frenzied fifth-year students began filtering in. As he went through the shelves, fully focused on his task, he felt their stares, and clearly heard their whispers.

Afterall, his automail WAS plainly exposed.

With all their whispering and stares, it was only a matter of time before the toad would come by and.. and...

Well, he didn't want to think that deeply nor far ahead regarding the pink monstrosity, as he entirely was sure that whatever she had planned for him was bound to be something incredibly inane and stupid.

So it was that when Hermione arrived with her honest questions regarding Alchemy, he smiled his relief at her, halfway between a smirk a frown, and settled down at his table with her to better provide clear concepts. Though he was surprised that she brought it up, he was only too happy to discuss some wizarding children's stories with her as well. "Alchemists alvays code dere true vresearch ...truth iz often hidden in such harmless stories. Um. Tink of it like code... De story of dhree brodhers for instance..."

Ed lowered his brows in thought and looked at her intense brown eyes.

"Dat part vhere dere vas dhis vriver dey had to cross? Is very like phrase I learnt long ago: All is vone. Vone is all. It...um.. Refers to same vriver."

"That's really.. Well. Vague? What river is that?" Hermione said.

Ed snickered.

"That voult be telling." He said. "And it woult ruin goot lesson all Alchemists vreally should.. ah.. experience.. before dey begin de vreal training."

"Real training...?"

"Yes. Dis school is vay too soft for such tings. Alchemy is more dan just.. " Ed said as he ran his false fingers over his much abused scar. "..Flashy tricks."

"So.. Um. What is this all about then.?" Hermione said testily and waved her hand to his growing pile. "Care to tell me..?"

"Ahem. Since ve started vidh child story..I vill continue. Rabbi babbi.."

"Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump?" Hermione said with a laugh.

He looked at Hermione, and saw she was again looking at him intently. A faint blush across her nose.

".. is tale of somevone, a Muggle king actually, vanting magic all to demselves.. Truth is backvards in dat tale, I tink. Somevone vanted Alchemy... magic.. all to demselves."

"So you think magic and alchemy are one and the same..?"

"Iz pet dheory of mine, yes. "

"Well I'd like to hear it."

Ed took a breath, smirked, and looked steadily at her brown eyes.

"Vone. Whole big vorld.. And dere are only tree of so- called magic skools left. Every generation, population of so-called vizards gets smaller and smaller. Is proof dat vhateber happened is still going on."

"Two. Dis Chamber ting I vent to last night. All dose fragments ..and an Alchemy so complex it vould take ME long vhile to puzzle out if I could get inside safely. vRight now, I CAN say dat it is binding essences here at the very least."

"Essences?"

"You vould call dem ghosts. I know for certain I cannot normally see essences at all, but dat does not mean dey are not vreal. Is but vord for same ting."

Ed said, and continued with holding up three automail fingers.

"Tree. Vands. You vizards need dem, but as seasoned Alchemist, I can feel dem. Which means dey are alchemically active." Ed smirked. "I voult check dem, but dey do tend to explode in my hands."

Hermione nodded, and her blush spread to her cheeks. Ed held up four automail fingers.

"Four. Magic number time: About tousand years ago.. Dis chamber vas made; Vitch and vizard prosecutions happen all ober; and at de same time, so does bik decline in Alchemy; eben Muggle verevolf stories change from voluntary transformations, to involuntary."

Ed narrowed his eyes, and added thoughtfully. "I tink is all connected, and if so, dat Chamber is part of somting vay bigger. "

"Um.. Hold on." Hermione said. "I really think you're reaching here, Ed. This actually sounds like someting a rag like the Quibbler puts out all the time and I hardly think.."

"..Need map.." Ed said absently as he rummaged though his mountain of notes. He picked up one and turned it about. "How is your general knowledge of dis country's history?"

Hermione did indeed possess an enclopedic list in her head of all the bloody wars, uprisings, rebellions, and general mayhem of Great Britain. When he asked, she even provided knowledge of the Muggle side of things, including a thing called, of all things, "The Luddite Rebellion".

"..Vondered vhere Jon got de term from.."

"Yeah.. Me too." Hermione said with a laugh.  
"Funny thing is, all wizards could be considered luddites under the slang definition.."

Ed snorted and smirked.

"I voult tink vith my arm and leg, I voult be automatically disqualified from de slight."

He dutifully added each with a circle in pencil onto a large map of the country on the table; he had found the thing, dusty and forgotten, tacked to upon wall by an equally dusty shelf.

When the last one was drawn, he stood back, tilted his head and gazed at the overall pattern. Then, dove down and connected the lines so quickly, forcefully, he actually tore through the fragile paper as he went.

"Oy! Easy!" Hermione said in a raised whisper.

"No vay.. No zirkle but.." Ed muttered.".. No vay.."

"What is it..?" Hermione said.

"If dese are crests..den.." Ed looked over to Hermione, then back down to the pattern. With the pencil he pointed, and said in a dull voice.(1)

"Vas 1917, ven I fell in London." He moved the pencil to another point, slightly to the north, within another crest. "Here is field vhere he.. I.. d-died."

Without dwelling, he moved on to another, way off to the west.

"About year ago. Fell here by sea. Jon.. H-he found me bloody.. Half-drowned... at vone of his raves. I don vremember much.. Jus de hospital."

Ed wrinkled his nose at the memory, and moved on to the north.

"Few months ago.. Fell at Hogwarts..if dis is vhere it is."

"Um.. What's it mean.?" Hermione said softly. "I can see all that runs along the main rune.. a sort of triangle.. in the center.. But, uh..."

Was the gate reacting to the crests? The possibility that the equation was that powerful.. To influence THAT..His mind fogged over with all the permutations.

Ed swallowed, and let the pencil drop.

"I- is most stable of formulas.. Vith dat in my vay, I can't get back vith equation I made here..." Ed slumped into his chair. "I vould neet.. Um. Bik. Vreal bik. Power boost to eben break free .."

"Is.. Um staying here. Really. So bad?" Hermione said so softly, that Ed looked to her.. intending to explain what he could.

Once his gold eyes met hers, those brown orbs looking so intensely at, no, into him, Ed found he couldn't look away.

"There.. Um.. Is a third story that is usually grouped with those other two." Hermione said determinedly in a soft voice, and slowly, like he was a frightened animal, moved so close that their noses nearly touched.

He was careful to keep his right arm well away from her, certainly not wanting to hurt her with its strength with her so close by accident, and it drifted awkwardly aloft and to the side in such a way that it would have been painful to do if it were a normal arm. He was concentrating so much on his right, that his traitorous left, again, moved of its own accord; at first gently cupping her arm as she approached, then rising and hovering by her ear, nearly touching her hair.

He realised, with some alarm, that he was actually encouraging it: What she intended to do was quite clear, intellectually, only he could not bring himself to... to..

Her blush seemed to be rather catchy: he felt his own cheeks growing hot under her gaze.

"There is a saying.. Amongst wizards." She said soft and low. "Uh. Don't. Um.. Don't ever let your heart grow hairy."

She then touched her lips to his, and he, at first, widened his golden eyes and.

Stiffened. No.

Froze.

Like a frightened animal trapped in the too bright lights of someone's attention.

Maybe it was his long denial of his hormones he had borne through the many years he chased after the stone with his long missed brother. Maybe it was the thankful fact she WASN'T a mirror of someone he once knew. Maybe it was the simple fact that they shared a sincere love of the knowledge contained within dusty, thick tomes..

..As she began to pull back, he closed his eyes and hungrily slid his lips over hers: eagerly returning the kiss.

When it ended, his honest revulsion of his own body- from its missing limbs to the many awful scars- arose and twisted through his gut like ice.

How could anyone find him remotely attactive enough to.. To.. He leaned back and wrapped his arms about his middle, vividly recalling the horrible thing he had seen imbeded there the night before.

As he looked at her deep brown eyes pulling away, he bit his lips closed and frowned. He could only breathe the one word ever in his mind.

"..w-Why?"

Hermione down a moment, still blushing mightily, then looked at him with the same intensity she had before the kiss.

He searched her face for that most hated of emotions: any pity or something like it. To his bafflement, found he couldn't read Hermione's face at all.

"It's..I know you want to go home.. To another planet.. Or.. Or.. Wherever." She said softly.

"You...? Harry tol.."

"Yes." Hermione said. "Harry told me about all of it.. and I..Um... I. I have to believe you. I know it's dangerous. What you're trying, and I. I just really wanted to give you a reason to stay."

Still tasting her on his lips, he watched her get to her feet and leave for her next class. After a moment, Ed turned again to the map.

With wands, it was possible that Wizards did not need circles, and, with that in mind, he easily traced the flow of power.. Especially to the runes that acted as both amphlifyers and batteries.

With this.. Lying in plain sight for at least a thousand years..all those lives scattered in just the right places in various cities and towns...

"..Making a stone would be child's play..." Ed whispered in Amestrain.

So why was Voldie really after him?

A/N: (1)Look up "ley lines" and "harry potter" on google- you will find a map. It is not mine, but someone elses, but a good idea is a good idea. And.. Frankly, My sense of direction is as gawd awful as my spelling skill- especially in countries that I don't happen to live in. If I screwed up, let me know.

Ed/Hermione has been long established in this fic. It has been one sided up to now, and I believe Hermione is strong enough to not let that go one forever. I still am not sure of the "rabid fan girl" aspect of the scene, and so I tried to keep it chaste, and, well, cute.

You just know that Ed- with his complete lack of any romanic notions- would just ruin it if it went any longer. Tried to hint at that as well.. Hope it's clear. 


	73. Swirling swagger into the black

A/N- We all know that Ed's nightmares are legendary stuff. And I think it's about time that Hogwarts gets the honor of hosting them:)

I've come up with so many ways to get Ed into the Ministry, and finally settled on this one. The rest sounded just so stupid and very much un-Ed-like. Since I have him on something of a downward spiral, thanks to the greasy git, it made sense to me.

Right now, this chappy is filled with so much stuff, I feel I have to end this here so that the next will focus more on the action:)

Let me know if things are too confusing, or if the characters are too wiggy. And of course.

Thx for reading/reviewing!

-break-

The bloody thing of flesh and bone and the many many organs in all the wrong places pulsing glistening in the dying light breathed a shaking gasping wet breath that he felt grace his cheek.  
"Why couldn't you make me right?"

Ed cried out to the darkness. He clutched desperately at his precarious perch on the dusty top shelf in his rush to scramble away, as his stomach offered its contents to the dust below. Both ports ached from the memory of loss.

It was several breaths before he realized he was in the Hogwarts library, and a few more that he had just revealed his location to the hook-nosed man stepping closer below him.

"How disappointing, Elric. It was not so much of a challenge finding you as I had anticipated."

"Go avay." Ed growled, gingerly probing his right shoulder with his left in the relative safety of the shadows- there was no way for the man to see his severe discomfort from that angle or distance.

"Come with me. I know well enough.."

"Go to hell."

"Regarding your mother.."

With a snarl that buried his pain once more, Ed slipped his legs over the side and, with a push of both arms, leaped from the high shelf. He landed solidly before the greasy haired man, left foot cracking the stone floor from the force of impact. As he rose, golden eyes hidden behind the curtain of his hair, he clenched his mismatched hands into fists and growled.

"She. Iz lonk deat. Ant. I certain. No concern of yours."

Remembering what he owed the man, he shook with the buried rage he had long reserved for Hohemheim, but just managed to restrain himself from throwing the well deserved punch to Severus' jaw with his right.

In moments, Ed instead turned away. He stomped his displeasure as he made his way past the man's vile presence, slipping unquietly into the shadowy cloak offered by the castle's halls...

..Peaceful slumber forgotten as the dream it was.

-break-

Harry awoke and marveled that his scar actually hurt much less than it ever had since Voldemort's revival. It was well before morning light, and this May night marked the first week in which he hadn't had the usual dream of long hallways that ended with a door.

He supposed that clearing his mind of emotion before sleep did have some merit as he wondered at the surrounding darkness. If not a nightmare, however boring, then what awoke him?

The distant scream rang out.. broken only by something of a sob.

"What..?"  
"Not again..?"

"C'on Ed.." Ron's sleepy voice whined from his bed, and Harry recalled that this was not the only night they were all awoken with such a sound. "Shut it already.."

"That the common room this time?" Neville asked with a bit of a yawn.

Harry shoved the blankets off him and before he could stand, he heard the muffled thunder of many feet shuffling across the floor. By the time he managed to reach the spiral stairs, most of his fellow Griffindors were gazing unpleasantly at the lone figure below.

Ed stood firm in only his boxers, long golden hair wildly unbound, glaring up at them all with blazing golden eyes. His false arm and leg, and many ugly scars, exposed for all to see as he kicked a garment to the side in his apparent rage.

In short, it looked as though Ed had really gone off the deep end.

"Kome to mock de freaky cripple!" Ed said in a strangely hoarse voice. "HuH? I not deaf! I hear you talkink all time! I take you all on..! I show you all who iz veak!"

Around him, Harry heard some people mutter variations of:

"Bloody Muggle."

".. Screaming like tha over a bloody nightmare? Again?"

"Wha a wee baby."

"Someone hit 'm with a silencio already."

"You first." Ron's voice said darkly, as though he thought that doing any kind of spells around Ed at the moment would be as dangerous fighting a dragon. Apparently he was not the only one to hold that opinion, as no one made a move for their wands.

Harry himself rather thought that going up against a Hungarian Horntail again would be a far more pleasant experience than facing an enraged Edward Elric.

Alone.

Ed ranted more as he yelled in his language, but Harry certainly didn't understand a word. He noticed that Ed favored his left a bit as he moved about.. Mostly kicking the furniture with his left leg- the false one. When his did jerkily strike something with his mechanical right, it was obvious it wasn't moving quite as smoothly as it usually did.

As it went on, it increasingly seemed as if Ed were taking the greatest offense with the others simply gazing at him, turning and yelling pointedly at the worst offenders at the loudest volume he could hoarsely manage. Harry found couldn't fault them at all for looking- especially the girls. If it weren't for the many scars and false limbs, even Harry had to admit that Ed had a well muscled body.

"Mr. Elric." Mcgonagall's voice coolly cut through his shouting, now more of a squeak than a roar.

"A word." She said crisply.

Ed scowled his displeasure at her. She rose both thin brows and, surprisingly, added a tepid, "..please?"

With great reluctance, Ed strode aside with a slight limp and sullenly folded his mismatched arms. Harry then noticed that the leather strap, the one that had been bound across his chest, was undone and hanging freely.

McGonagall then turned her attention to the gathered Griffindors and rose up to her full height.

"To bed with you this instant. There's nothing to be seen here." She said curtly.

-break-

He held onto his rage like the protective shield it was as he continued to glare at the many departing backs. He would never let them see his weakness, and he did his best to push past the aches in his ports that the revived memory inspired at the same time.

As the common room cleared of prying eyes, Ed sunk himself into the closest overstuffed chair.

Predictably, McGonagall slipped into the edge of the chair just across from him. Her nostrils flared once as her dark eyes looked steadily at his curtained orbs.

"Severus has told me what happened, and although I am completely appalled at the man, I find I must recommend his suggestion." She said tepidly.

Then held a vial of a swirling substance right before him meaningfully. Ed's golden eyes traced the vial's shape, but he held his mouth in a grim angry line.

"Simply take a few drops before sleeping for the remainder of your stay with us." McGonagall said. "In time, with all hope, whatever that man managed to stir up will have resolved itself and you will again be able to rest in some peace without such assistance."

Ed wrinkled his nose in undisguised disgust and turned away to look at the fire.

"Not sick."

"Take it, Mr. Elric." McGonagall said crisply. "You are well aware by now that you are no longer the only one losing sleep of late."

Ed huffed his displeasure. He flicked his golden eyes and saw Mcgonagall's thin brows nearly joined together. Nostrils flaring her annoyance. Ed moved not a wit toward the proffered vial.  
After a while Mcgonagall set the horrid thing on the table nearest his chair and strode back to her quarters once more.

Once he was certain she would not emerge again, perhaps to force the thing down his throat or something, Ed said hoarsely.

"You can kome out now."

He didn't watch a surprised Harry remove his silvery cloak and, now visible, settle into a his usual chair by the fire.

"You look absolutely ghastly, you know."

Ed knew well just how many bags had reappeared under his eyes during the past week of nearly sleepless nights. With the notable exception of perhaps his nose or squaring chin, those bags tended to make him look ever more like the bastard, Hohemheim.

"Can I ask.. Um.. What.. Um happened. With Snape?"

"Not anyting I vreally vant speaking about, Harry. Git poked into my head is all."

Harry nodded, and looked to the fire himself. Harry was well aware that Ed was avoiding the man for the past week. The Griffindor common room was, afterall, one of the few places Severus did not wander into on a regular basis at night, which made it a relatively safe place for Ed to rest in.

"Hermione.. Um.. She told me something today.. You said you were found all bloody by your friend Jon? About a year ago?"

Ed narrowed his eyes slightly, but said nothing.

"How blood.. Um." Harry said. "I never did ask you about ..you know. Um. About your limbs.. How did you um."

Harry swallowed and looked steadily at Ed's curtained eyes.

"Did you loose them when you went against that..um. Master Alchemist?"

Ed smirked mirthlessly and looked down at his mechanical fingers, flexing them one by one. Allowing the growth of the lie that, afterall, was not exactly a lie.

"Tell me. Did you... Um. Did you win?" Harry asked hopefully, with a clear undercurrent of fear.

Harry, sitting as he was with both hands clasped before him, looked to be nothing more than a truly frightened teenager. A far cry from the hero the wizard books declared him to be as the boy-who-lived.

Ed looked down and lingered over the truth as he tasted Harry's question. The direction of the query was not truly pointed at himself at all, but to Harry's possible future confrontations with Voldemort.

He felt, if anything, completely hollow as he looked at the fire, and knew well, as tired as he was, it would show on his face.

Logically. Only the truth could be equivalent for an answer, as ugly and cruel as it was.

"Depends on what you count as vwinning, Harry." Ed said dully. "I am. Alive. Kan only hope my brodher is as vell."

Ed curled up on the chair, and kept watching the hypnotic flames.

"Kan only keep valking forward."

After a moment, Harry retrieved a blanket, and draped over him. It was such a.. normal.. gesture that Ed impulsively reached out to clasp Harry's hand briefly with his left.

And nodded his thanks.

It was probably too little to go on, but "normal" was something he desperately wanted to cling to. He really wanted to believe that Harry, of all people, could be one of the few that would believe his wild story. He also knew better than to pretend if it was otherwise.

He turned his gaze back to the dancing, hypnotic flames and refused to sleep any more that night.

-break-

The warm darkness retreated, and he found he was upright, seated. In a solid sort of chair. A rather uncomfortable, solid chair.

He felt unforgiving metal brush against the flesh of his left forearm, uncomfortably close to his much abused array scar, and the pressure plates on his right told him nothing useful. A small tug on his right leg and he felt the same kind of restraint about the flesh of his ankle, as well as a faint jingle of some sort of chain.

Golden eyes cracked opened, and he confirmed visually in a too bright light from above him that he was indeed chained to a chair, arms placed well apart in several metal bracelets. He could hear he was in some sort of large empty room by the echoes his faint movements created.

"Stupefy should've worn off by now."

He swore inwardly. He had been hit with a stun spell. Somehow.

A wizard.. No. Auror, if he could judge by the robe, slipped into view from the darkness about the chair. Ed immediately feigned he was still out.

He felt his hair grabbed in a fist, and by that, his head lifted from his chest.

"Are chains really necessary?"

"Taking no chances, are they? He looks to be completely exhausted."

"He IS a dangerous one. Filthy Muggle or not." A familiar simpering voice said. "I suspect he even created whatever weapon Dumbledore has hidden somewhere on the grounds."

"Makes sense." Ed's head was eased back down. "Dumbledore does have a rather soft spot for Muggles, but to find one such as this?"

"My fellow examiners are fascinated with the changes at the school." An ancient wheezing voice added. "Never have I seen transfigurations on such a scale from one so young. And you insist he is a Muggle? Who IS he really?"

"Who knows?" The simpering voice quipped. "As he is so clearly against the Ministry, I think it wisest to keep him contained here in the court's holding area. Well from Hogwarts and, most importantly, my - uh. The children."

"..At least until a trial can be.."

"Of course.. Auror ?"

"Tonks."

"Ah."

"He really attacked another professor?"

"Yes. A Professor Snape. Your fellow Aurors arrived just as Mr. Elric here indulged in his tragically violent, half-breed nature. Tut tut. Of course, such things cannot be tolerated in our.. civil.. society."

Ed nearly laughed, and barely managed to make the choked sound in his throat sound more like a snore.

He saw the floor before him. The fading glow of the swirling design as the furious reaction finally died..

"Al..?"

Blood.. blood.. Too much blood.. emptied from him, flowing past his fingers that grasped the ragged remains of his left. He could even feel the too neat cut that cleared the bone from the marrow.

"Al..? Where..."

He saw it, and he felt his heart stop beating. The other hand reached out and clutched the empty set of clothes. Drawing them as close to his chest as he felt the...he couldn't breathe..

His mind whirled in horror.. The price was too...no. No. Not him.

"Give. Him. Back!"

He croaked from his strained throat, suddenly awake in a gasping cold sweat. Heart pounding, he blinked owlishly at his surroundings, and saw both hands were still bound to the uncomfortable chair. When had he fallen asleep? And..?

Was he alone now?

He glimpsed a soft blue glow to his left, wisps of the dream fogging his mind enough to make his heart rabbit. He took some calming breaths, telling himself firmly that he was certainly not trapped on an array, had no array drawn on him, and such panic was highly illogical.

It was only a chair.

He fisted his gloved hands, then gave a good tug with his right.. Followed by a more furious one.

The shackles were still just as solid, unmoved by the usual hydraulics of his arm.

"Piece of shit." Ed swore in his native tongue, voice nearly completely smashed, and let out a frustrated breath as he concentrated further. "Have to override the fucker then.."

"Such. Coarse language." He froze, hearing an unfamiliar woman's voice say in perfect Amestrian from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Ed said and darted his eyes around. He saw only shadows, but his ears heard slow, deliberate footsteps. And a slither of.. Cloth?

"Who would have thought the long sought prize of the Dark Lord..." She said sweetly. "..would be so easily acquired."

Something brushed against his right foot. And kept going.

"I was hoping for more of a challenge." A dark haired, gaunt woman emerged from the black, and lifted her wand.

Ed felt such a strong vibration in his chest that his teeth rattled achingly in sympathy.

"Until Lucius arrives. Ah.. I suppose I shall have to entertain myself." She added with her lower lip in a bit of a pout. "Even if you are but a filthy Muggle."

Lightning quick, her heavy lidded eyes flashed coldly as a cruel, hungry smile spread across her face.

"Crucio!"

-break-  
A/N there! I got somewhere:)  



	74. a funny thing happened while

A/N- ok. Letting this one stand as is. I was hoping to finish this by FMA day. But it looks like there's a few more chapter left to go.

-break-

The Griffindor table was as strangely quiet during breakfast as it had been the previous few meals when Harry sat beside Ron. Hermione was across from them, books piled about her like a fortress as she frantically read page after page.

He certainly had a bit of a tight knot in his stomach over the exams, the sight did served to remind him that the OWLs were indeed upon them. It was the rest of the snarl that cornered him.

After all, he had not so much as glimpsed a certain blond for a while now.

"'Iome.. Um.. You've been to the library. Is Ed.."

Hermione gripped the tome slightly tighter.

"Best not to say anything, mate.." Ron said in a low voice. "I don't know about you but I don't want a repeat of that yelling the nutter.."

"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione said in a sort of warning as she looked up from her book. "Honestly. Most of the girls in the dorm won't talk of anything else. So what possible harm could.."

"What?" If Ron's jaw could have detached and hit the table, Harry thought it would have.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"After Mcgonagall quietened him down so easily.. With just those few words.. Well. The girls were revoltingly convinced that with.. with some fantastic gesture or...or..a daring bit of wand work.. that they could..they could.."

Having experienced such a flood of the same impulses the previous year, the whole rant sounded so very familiar to Harry. He looked to Ron, and knew he was thinking much the same when his best friend blurted out:

"...win his heart? " Ron chimed in flatly. "What is he, a male Veela or something?"

"I thought no one's ever seen a male Veela before." Harry added.

"No one has, but it would fit his story, now wouldn't it?" Hermione said. "Afterall. No one really knows just where Veelas come from anyway, right? Who's to say that they didn't come from another.."

"Yeah, well. Veela or not. He's still a nutter." Ron grumbled, then scratched his head. "Blimey... Just 'membered. He's a Muggle..."

"Yeah?"

"So which is it? A Muggle - Veela? Or a Veela - Muggle?"

"No idea." Harry said with a slight shake of his head, and as Ron rubbed his face in confusion, looked to Hermione. "Iome.. You tend to see him more than either Ron or I do. Did you happen to hear him.. Um.. thank anyone for anything?"

Hermione's eyebrows knitted together, and her frown carried a hint of worry.

"No... But then, I haven't seen much of him for a few days now. Not since the.. Um..common room thing anyway."

"You reckon he really.. just left?" Ron said.

Harry shrugged, and looked over at the head table: the pink toad was smiling rather triumphantly.

-break-

"Bella..! No! We need him intact."

Even though he had to bend over the side of the chair to dry heave, Ed chuckled mirthlessly when he glanced up at the new arrival: Lucius Malfoy.

Ed glared at them both.

"Have to say.. That nearly tickled." Ed drolled in Amestrain. In his mind he recited the periodical table, pushing the fierce pain back..nerve by nerve.

"What..?" 'Bella' said in a surprised tone, in English.

Ed spit out some bile, then, moving more easily that he really felt, leaned into the back of the uncomfortable chair he was chained to. His ponytail dug into the back of his skull that way, but the move kept his nerves from twitching too much from the vile curse.

"I suspect, my dear, that you broke his mind. How ever many did you.."

"Just the one." She said with her lower lip sticking out in a pout. "..How very disappointing. Perhaps it was all those years in Azkanban. I must be loosing my touch."

He heard hissing snickers.. and Ed looked over in time to witness a large.. No huge.. snake head rise up from the ground.

"Worthlesssss. Idiot humansssss. Sssssimply ssseeee hisssss ssssshoulder."

As Ed watched the snake mouth move, forming the syllables and constanants with a rush puff of air, he found himself astonished that it could talk at all much less in..

Amestrian.

Unmistakable Amestrian... mixed with a lot of snake-like hisssing.

"Dat voice.." Ed, paused to spit out some puke that colored the next word significantly. "Envy."

"Nagini." Lucius corrected as he raised his wand. "So your wits are still intact, good. The Dark Lord will be pleased you did not break him afterall. "

"Nagini has not spoken any human language for many years." 'Bella' said. "I do not know why filth such a you are being given such a high honor."

"Honor? Fuck dat..." Ed tugged at his restraints and tried his best to wiggle away from their outstretched wands.

"Fullmetal pipssssssqueek." Ed's vein throbbed in his forehead at the familiar slight. His outer shirt ripped itself apart noisily at his right shoulder, and rather than gape at the sight, he instead glared at the snake-homolucus.

"You must have been stuck in that form a REAL long time to be able to form words with THAT mouth. Too rich. To take you out, I just have to stomp down HARD enough your thick skull ..."

"You are in no position to be making threats, Mr Elric." A cold high voice called from behind him. "..Especially not to ones directed at my most prized pet."

"My Lord! You shouldn't be here. The Ministry will surely.."

"Enough, Lucius. What IS this..?" The voice, Voldemorts' voice, said. Ed listened to a set footsteps approach at a stately pace.

"My arm, dumbass." Ed said snarkly.

'Bella' - He recognized her from a wanted poster, 'Lestrange' or something- immediately gestured with her wand in a slashing motion. He felt the stoopid leather strap snap apart by itself, and grit his teeth as he felt a.. nothing.. slice into him at the same time.

"Manners! Boy." She hissed. With a flick of his eyes he saw the wound was a shallow cut, meant more to sting than anything.

"I glimpsed this briefly when we last met. How remarkable, Mr. Elric." Voldemort said coldly as he looked down at him. Red inhuman eyes tracing exposed port, scars, and the new bleeding wound hungrily. "Truly. Remarkable."

"Ssssee him sssuffer...remove, then inssstall arm." Envy pleaded, then hissed a lot more as his tongue flicked in and out.

Ed watched Voldemort look to Envy and hiss in return. Then.. well it sounded remarkably like a cruel hissing laugh. Voldemort straightened and looked hautingly over at the other two wizards.

"Our other player shall be joining us shortly, Lucius. That is, if the information your provided is indeed correct. Do be ready to greet him most appropriately."

He then looked down his chin at Ed. The gesture readily reminded Ed just how short he was, and he found getting really angry at the freak wasn't all that difficult. He didn't simply glare at Voldemort: He scowled.

"Mr. Elric and I shall remain here and have ourselves a nice...chat."

-break-

Crucio! Cried a high sounding voice.

A flash of green light struck the exposed chest of the rather gaunt man on held down on his knees, and the man- one Sirius Black: his godfather, the closest thing he had to a real family - screamed an agonized scream.

The scream echoed in his mind even now, facing all these hooded and masked adults and their wands. Even though he well knew it was all a trick, it had FELT so real. He had been so. So certain. That Sirius was in mortal peril.

Only to find it was, after all, only a dream.

One sent by Voldemort.

Because of his belief, he had blundered his way past the very real door that haunted his dreams, to stand upon the dust covered floor surrounded by countless orbs stacked upon an infinity of shelves. He had dragged his friends with him, deep within the Department of Mysteries, and because of him, they all were going to.. to..

As Bellatrix Lestrange once again laughed her cruel laugh, loudly taunting his complete foolishness, he adjusted his grip on the small bauble into which his name, along with one other, was engraved.

Clinging desperately to the one hope he had that could manage to get his friends out alive.

"Hand it over." Lucius Malfoy demanded, and gestured with his free hand.

Harry took a step backwards, shoulders bumping into someone behind him. ,a he stumbled upon someone's toe. The squeaking yelp told him it was Hermione.

"Now, Potter." Lucuis growled. "Hand over the prophesy."

Harry turned his head, keeping his eyes steadily upon the dangerously approaching adults, and hissed with out moving his lips.

"Smash shelves!"

As he cringed backwards, he heard Ginny's voice above the others cry out, "Reducto!" He ducked his head low as he ran with all his might past the falling shards and wood, hoping that the foot falls he heard were the others were close behind him.

He found he wasn't far wrong when they burst through the door that lead back to the round room full of blue candle flames. The doors spun about them when the door banged closed, and Harry rushed off to a door at random before the spinning even stopped. He flung door open and heard a deep baritone intone:

"Reducto!"

He felt a shove, and stumbled onward. As he stepped through the jam, he glimpsed the closed door next to his exit explode in a shower of wooden splinters.

The darkened room he rushed into was completely silent as soon as the door banged closed behind him. He heard panting breaths, and he gripped his wand a bit tighter in his hand. Then his foot slipped from beneath him, and he tumbled down first one.. Then lost count of how many.. Very hard..Stone tiers.

As he tasted the dust of where he came to rest, he heard the laughter of the death eaters above him. Gingerly, he opened his eyes.

Before him was an ancient stone arch, across which was strung a tattered curtain. As he watched it billowed outward as though a gentle breeze was blowing in the still and quiet room. He heard whispers, but could not make out just what was being said.

He pushed himself to his knees, and was surprised he still clutched both his wand and the glass bauble.

"Your race is run, Potter." Lucius Malfoy's voice sneered out in the dark, and Harry watched the man stride forward upon the dais. "Hand me the prophesy like a good boy."

"Let- let the others go, and I'll give it to you."

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter." Lucius said, pale face full of glee. "You see, there are ten of us, and only one of you."

"He's dot alone!" Neville's voice shouted from above him. "He's still god be."

Harry's heart sank. Neville was scrambling down the stone benches toward him.

Completely wandless.

"No.. Neville.. Go back."

As he watched, One of the largest Death Eaters simply grabbed Neville from behind, pinning his arms to his sides. Neville kicked and struggled, and the some of the other Death Eaters laughed.

"Longbottom is it?" Lucius said. "Ah well, your grandmother is used to losing family members.. One more death will hardly be surprising.."

"Longbottom?" Bellatrix said, and removed her mask to reveal a truly evil smile spreading across her skull-like features. "I knew your parents.."

"I doe you hab!" Neville roared and in his latest struggle, this time lunging toward the woman, very nearly broke free of the Death Eater's grip.

"Somebody stupify him!" A Death Eater grumbled to the side.

"No, no. Let's see just how long he holds out before he cracks like his parents." She glanced to Harry then back to Neville, and ever so slowly rose her wand "Unless Potter wants to give us the prophesy that is.."

"Don'd gib I'd do dem!"

"Crucio!"

Neville screamed, drawing his legs up so that the big Death Eater was momentarily holding him off the ground. The Death Eater dropped him, and he fell to the floor twitching and screaming in agony.

"That was only a taster." Bellatrix said, then flicked her wand so that Neville's screams stopped and he lay sobbing at her feet. She turned and gazed at Harry. "Now, Potter. Give us the prophesy or watch your little friend die the hard way."

Harry didn't have time to think. There was no choice. The bauble was hot from the heat of his hand as he held it out. Lucius jumped forward to take it..

Then. High above them, two more doors burst open and five people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Kinsley.

Malfoy raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a spell his way. Harry did not stay to see if it struck, but dived out of the way. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they leaped from step to step toward the sunken floor.

Through the darting flashes of light, he saw Neville crawling towards him. He dodged another jet of red light. And flung himself flat on the ground to reach his friend.

"Are you all right?" He yelled, as another spell soared inches above their heads.

"Yes." Neville said, then with a look of horror creeping across his face, pointed to something off to the side.

Harry followed his line of sight, and widened his eyes when he made out the unmistakable shape of a rather large serpent. He followed the curved line of the sinuous body that they all had to have stepped over, unaware.

"Is ib..dead?" Neville said hopefully.

Harry eyed the great creature. It seemed to be absolutely still if not for slow steady rise and fall of its sides.

"No." He yelled.

Something wet pooled beneath his wand hand and he blinked in surprise as he touched a finger to the substance. Even in the gloom, with jets of various colors flying about, he could tell what he saw smeared upon his fingers was most definitely...:

"Blood?" Harry said, and squinted into the dark behind him and Nelville.

Through the flashing jets of light, Harry had the barest glimpse of a golden braid, a pair of white gloved hands hanging down limply, and a glint of bare metal in the shape of an arm. And even.

"..c-chains..?" Neville said, and, keeping low to the ground, pulled himself past Harry. "Dey hab doe.. Chain him?"

Harry's mind went blank. He knew who it was. All under.. No. Within.. the huge serpent's mouth;

Unmistakably,

It was Ed.

-break-

He floated above the pain, only aware of it really when the things stabbing into him moved.

It had been some time since he had last heard cruel voices, and longer still since they had reached him. But when he felt the unexpected warmth of someone gently clutching his flesh hand, the delicate balance he had created in his mind toppled: He grit his teeth as his burning gut flared to life once more and tossed him into unforgiving full awareness.

"Tsssst!" He hissed, and gripped the hand with all his strength. A voice said..Nonsense. Babble. And he squeezed all the harder as the wispy vision of a tall, pale, high voiced freak darted through the pain hazing his mind.

"I will. Kill. That fucker..." Ed growled in his native tongue.

"Oww. OWw! Ed! Easy. Ib's us. Ib's us." The voice yelped, and he recognized the sounds as words. It was a young one.. Voice very like a child. Neville.. His mind whispered.

"Merlin's..!" He heard another, older one say. Familiar somehow. He cracked open his golden eyes only to see the blood soaked dust beneath his living captor.

So. Much. Blood.

He was within Envy's foul mouth, and probably had been for hours.

"Um.. Densressio!"

He gasped as the many somethings scraped against his ribs. "Right.. Now. Pull!"

"Oh..Ib's waking.!" The boy's panicked filled voice yelled. Did he have to yell? He was right there? There was growing roaring noise in his ears, that quickly became a banging clang of metal scraping against metal that felt so familiar and wonderful. And long missed.

"Heave Neville! STUPIFY!"

"STUPIFY! STUPIFY!"

He felt himself shift forward, and then fall into a limp undignified sprawl on his front. He breathed hitched, liquid filled breaths, then coughed to clear his throat as he clenched his eyes closed.

He felt far too heavy to move, but forced his arms to obey his will. Only to find the hand still clenched his, and he was somewhat holding himself up on his elbows against someone's living body.

"Right. Now.. Got him? Harry, go and.."

He felt himself wobble as he tried his legs. He teetered dangerously before an unwelcome arm wrapped itself about his shoulders.

"He's um..bleeding.. Rather badly." The boy said worriedly. Guilt, ever the resident of his sin drenched soul, bubbled up from his depths: No one should have to worry about him.

"So he is..." The voice said distractedly. Sirius. That was the name that went with the sound. "! That the best you got! HA!"

He felt a familiar hum briefly as he concentrated on taking his next breath.

"Vere. Is dat. Pale fukker..?" He said steadily, trying his best not to trip his tongue on the English letters.

"Easy Ed. You're safe.. Um.. now." A voice.. Another boy said. Harry. That's right. Harry.

Ed managed to lift his head to look at the boy, jingling his chains as he fisted his hands.

"Get dis. Fukken shit off me. Ant get out. Of my vay." Ed growled. "Voldemort iz MINE."

The green eyes widened in alarm behind the glasses, then flicked up towards someone.

Ed figured they wouldn't listen, so he looked instead to the many wounds upon his torso, and shifted his left from the grasping hand as if he meant to hold his hand against the worst of it. The gesture served to shift the wooden plank separating his hands, and allowed the blood to drip nicely. Especially when he teetered back onto the ground away from Neville.

"Thankfully, he's not here, Edward." Sirius said. "Now do go with them, and.."

But the rest of what was to be said was lost in the furious blue arching of the reaction, amplified as it was with blood. A stone hand rose up and not only easily snapped the stoopid plank that kept his Alchemy in check, but shot out and grappled an unwary masked fellow by the neck.

Ed pushed himself to his wobbly feet, and completely ignored the jerking and wildly kicking figure above him as he slapped his freed palms together. A flash of blue lightening later, his chains provided him with enough material for his favorite spear. He immediately turned and tossed at masked person's head: one with striking platinum blonde hair standing upon the dais.

"Ooo! Nice one." Cooed Sirius as he ran and dove under a Death Eater's jet of energy.

To his disappointment, the man cried out, "Protego!"

And the spear, well enough on target that it would likely have split the man's skull, merely bounced off some sort of unseen barrier.

"Kowart." Ed spat, and quickly looked away from the writhing thing behind the man. "How you can eben stand to be near dat ting iz beyont me."

"Ed?" Harry called questionably, a voice he barely heard above the prevailing noise.

Stumbling backwards on his wobbling legs, Ed instinctly slapped his palms together. When his behind landed against his stone arm, his golden eyes darted all about - taking in the chaos.

Tonks was above him trading volleys with the skull-faced "Cruel"-la. Shacklebolt was trading light balls with no less than two Death Eaters. Lupin ducked behind a stone bench just in the nick.

And Al..?

Ed raised an eyebrow, and watched as the man's fake eyeball rolled along the ground uselessly: Alestair Moody himself slumped over against the dais, victim of a simple stun spell from a rather beefy goon.

Wordlessly, Ed focused on constructing a stone dome, intending to shield a wandless Neville and overwhelmed Harry from the mess the adults had made of things.

But.

Several things happened at the same time that only served to bewilder his blood depleted brain.

"Dubbledore!" Neville cried out happily. "Dubbledore!"

Ed stared off wearily as the old man strode by, face white with a fury he had not known the man was capable of. As Ed was determined not to look again at the thing on the dais, he did not watch exactly WHAT the man was did with his wand.

He heard Sirius yell out, "Oh come on! You can do better than that!"

Saw Harry's nearly jubilant face fall.

..And from the dais came such a blinding flash of light, he absolutely felt compelled to look: Almost as if it were the very Gate itself standing there.

He squared his shoulders. Turned his head. He was actually more than half expecting to be torn from the world and facing the guardian made of nothing.

Instead.

It took an age for Sirius to fall. And even longer for what lay beyond him to come into focus from blinding whiteness.

Standing there.. Amongst the ruins of the ancient underground city, a single gloved hand raised as if ready to snap, was a man. Not just any man, either. Raven black hair. One sharp black eye with the other covered with a patch. Blue uniform sporting a few more stars on the breast lapel than he recalled.

An enormous suit of armor faded in next. Standing just behind the Colonel, as if it were his guardian.

And..

There was a young boy in a long red trench coat.. Long dark golden hair tied up into a pony tail. Face full of genuine concern, this boy immediately darted to Sirius side, and touched two gloved fingers of one hand to the limp man's neck.

Ed watched, rooted to the spot, barely daring to breathe for fear that the entire thing was but a phantasical dream.

"Al-lphonse..?" He barely managed past the fast forming lump in his throat. As if the boy had heard him, he looked up. Expressive face full of the inquisitive curiosity Ed had long forgotten his brother often freely expressed.

Ed stared and stared. Completely transfixed by the dark golden orbs he hadn't seen in nearly five long years.

He heard a woman's distant triumphant scream. Heard Harry yelling beside him. And he tried to take steps forward, but found he was held back by someone's arm across his chest.

"There's nothing you can do. He's gone. He's gone.." Lupin's voice said in a nearly calculated, though somehow soothing way in his ear. 


	75. complications aboundyea stoopid title

A/N- feels like I'm writing a venture brothers episode here. Might be a tad bit rushed, but I did really want to have a bit of something up on FMA day.

Pushed through.. Covered everything - wanted to. Yay!  
Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

-break-

Ed slapped and ducked under the unwelcome arm. He then lunged, only to stumble on his too wobbly legs and fall awkwardly to the ground. Once there, he squinted his eyes as they teared up from his many weeping wounds, which no longer mattered. He was much closer to the dais; not far to go now.

Remus was beside him, struggling to restrain someone that sounded a lot like Harry. No. It WAS Harry.

More flashes of light, he could almost feel the vibrations beneath the pain of his wounds.. Almost. But he couldn't really find the strength to move at the moment.

He saw a woman.. Tonks?.. Fall limply over one of the stone tiers across the way. Moody, on his hands by the dais, was shaking his head like a dog, perhaps to clear it.

He heard a huge crash. Saw many flashes of light. Someone with a deep voice cursed nicely enough that Ed instantly reconsidered English's relative merits..

And someone ran right by him.

"No Harry..!" Lupin called.

"SHE KILLED SIRUS..! I'LL KILL HER..!" Harry yelled. Remus suddenly lost his grip on the boy, and Harry was off. Ed, unable to do much, turned back to looking at the bright shining scene before him. Back to his long missed brother.

Just as Ed had managed to move nearly a whole foot forward, he felt a gentle hand clamp down on his living shoulder.

"Stop. Sirius is gone, Ed.." Lupin's voice said saidly. "He's gone..."

"..not gone.. " Ed said, voice weak and barely a squeak. He pulled again with the straining fake arm, but didn't manage much against the strength of the hand holding him.

"Let me ..let me get a look at you.." Lupin said, and with a great ease that made Ed cough violent wet once more, turned Ed onto his back. "Bloody.. Whoever.. They really did a number on you..."

As wet stuff tricked out of a corner of his mouth, Ed looked up at the dais.. At his brother calmly watching him, then darting golden eyes to the chaos of the many streaking lights and small explosions. He could almost see what he was thinking, and the slight shifting of the boy's weight confirmed his suspicions: Al was about to leap..

"Don't you dare.." Ed breathed in Amestrain. "Don't you .."

Again, the boy looked at him as if he clearly heard him, and thankfully froze. Ed felt a strange burning sensation, flinched, and scowled back at Lupin.

"Sorry. I know with you I should have asked first. And I really can only do so much.." Lupin said apologetically as he waved his wand gently over his wounds. Ed watched as a nastily looking one closed up. "..um...You'll need to replenish what blood was lost as soon as.."

Ed clutched the man's wand hand with his gloved left, and met the kind, though pain- filled eyes of the werewolf. He then glanced up at the..

Moody was climbing to his feet, blocking his clear view of the downed body of Sirius.

"Remus.." Ed squeaked. "..Tell to me vat you see."

"It's.. just a stone arch." Neville answered bewilderedly for the man.

Ed first looked to the boy, and in moments, coughed wetly as he flicked his eyes to Remus. Both looked at him as if he were mad for just asking such an obvious question. He decided to file the whole thing away as one of those things he 'should not mention', closed his eyes, and grimaced.

"Vhere. Vhere did Harry go?" He breathed when he opened his eyes again.

"You. You can't even stand..!"

"He is going after skull face vizard voman, am I vright?" Ed shoved the kind man's wand away roughly with his left, and began climbing to his wobbling feet.

"Dumbledore..?" Remus said.

"Edward. Could you tell me why it was you were.. uh.. within this serpent's mouth..?"

"Vone. Serpent iz not vreal serpent." Ed took in a wet sounding breath. "Two. Moldie shorts haz a stoopid spell, curse.. vhatever.. he haz planned out dat I vill in no vay help him vith ant..."

"He will truly succeed!" Yelled one of the Death Eater goons.

"He will ever conquer death!" Yelled another.

Ed looked over in their general direction, and lowered his brows at the sight. The lot of masked and cloaked adults were bunched together by the dais as if they were actually tied together with an invisible rope.

"Are you absolutely certain it was Voldemort?" The old voice stated rather coldly. Ed turned his head and glared at the blue eyes behind the half-moon glasses.

"DO NOT. BE IDIOT." Ed snarled as best he could with his failing voice, and then spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Rest easy, Edward, and leave Harry to me. The Aurors will be by soon." Dumbledore said as he lightly patted his living shoulder. Ed watched the man easily stride up the stone tiers before his own knees gave way.

However, both Lupin and Neville caught him before he ever struck the ground.

"Great. More fukken Ministry to look forvard to.." He grumbled as they gently maneuvered him to a stone tier.

The seat did give him a clear view of Al, as the boy wrapped an arm about Sirius' shoulders and helped the man to his feet.

-break-

It wasn't long before he noticed something odd all about the edges of the dais. There was a strange and faint purple glow at first. He narrowed his golden eyes and traced several of the sudden bold lines back and about his living former cage.

He took in a startled breath when he saw the scaled skin: A rich alchemical formula, glowing purple, flaring to life right upon the homoculus.

"Wha-what is it.?" Neville said fearfully, watching a line flare to life an run its way up just past him, then up the distant wall.

"Grant Arkanum Equation..!" Ed said and staggered to his feet again as he watched the distinctive swooping swirl form right beneath the mismatched feet of one startled Alestar Moody. He was helping Tonks stand, and both leaned away and stumbled in alarm.

"Shit! Dere vas no zirkle..How..? Vaz iz.. needz a.."

Ed then looked at the snake body again. How the snake head was just touching the tail.

"A.. Zirkle.." Ed whimpered, and swallowed, as the enormity of what had happen occurred to him. Neville looked at him, face pinched in confusion.

Ed dropped himself to the ground and bent to reach under the snake's jaw.

"Edward..what's.." Remus began.

"Got to break de z-cirkle...! Dis..is vile equation. It does not neet a containment z..circle... Only a b-base.." Ed growled, and tried to muscle past the heaviness. " I destroyed it to keep it from eber being used again and he..he..Dat pale fukker.. He..must p-pulled it from. From my m-memories.."

He heard triumphant laughter bubbling from the gathered Death Eaters.

"Nagini is now truly the first Death Eater." Malfoy sneered. "Pity that, as a reptile, it takes him a great while to digest whatever he swallows."

"Vat iz..." Ed tugged on what felt to be the tail, but it felt so heavy.. Like it was made of a lode stone.

"Nagini himself informed my master of such stories of you.. How you passed through death's door unscathed not only once, but no less than three times. Almost as if you were Death's.. Master. "

Ed narrowed his eyes, the emphasis on the word 'master' disturbed him for some reason. He heaved.. Made no progress though his muscles trembled from the effort. Panting, he fell back on his elbows, and looked above to the two standing above him.

"Neville.. Remus.." Ed panted, and gestured vaguely to the glowing serpent. Then noticed that the blood, his blood, pooled artlessly in the dust beneath the serpent's head, was glowing as well.

"Come now. You must know by now that Nagini here consumed your blood...and even you, a lowly Muggle, must realize just how truly potent you are."

"Potent..?" Ed snarled as he sat himself up. He slapped his palms together. "I show you potent..!"

The purple glow brightened significantly, and Ed shook his hands out in alarm.

"Magically speaking, Elric. You. ARE. Death." A high cold voice called from above. Ed turned his head, and widened his eyes not because he saw a wand pointed right at him..

.. But because it was Harry who was doing so. Lightning shaped scar flared red like an angry infection, and eyes and skin so sickly pale..

" All I need do is kill you, and the spell for the stone is complete. Fitting, don't you think, if one you thought of as a friend were to take your life? Avada cad..gah! No!"

Harry collapsed, and his wand clattered noisily against the stone. In spite of himself, Ed lunged towards him, making it to his knees even as he watched Neville and Remus nearly run up the stone tiers.

Ed glimpsed a dark flickering.. Much like a billowing black curtain passing by his head. No. It had more volume than that. More like a.. Man?

Before he could so much as turn his head, he was dropped into a sudden, disorienting, gloom as the whatever it was on the dais abruptly vanished..

.. And heard the distant, clanking grind of metal on metal..

"Avarda kedavra!" Ed heard hissed by another high voice in another direction, followed swiftly by a bright green flash.

He took a startled breath, cursed his rotten luck... couldn't tell the location of the wand.. The overwhelming hum of the huge circle shattered that fragile defense like it was so much cobwebs...The breath let out..

As he completed his shambling turn, finally up on his own two legs, he glimpsed a long pony tail.. and fell with sudden weight of the very real body that slumped against his.

"Brother.." The boy breathed in his native tongue.

"Al..?" Ed squeaked, and watched the long missed dark golden eyes fade to a dull brown. And took away all that mattered to him.

-break-

A/N- awful terrible no-good cliffy. Much apologies...

-break-

"No.." Ed said, voice barely a whisper, ears deafened to the crashing sound of metal behind him. His stone arm towered to his side, still holding a Death Eater who occasionally aimed a kick at him.

Golden eyes wide and disbelieving, he wrapped both arms around the limp form of Al, and cupping the back of the much too loose head, brought him close into a tight possessive hug.

"No..." Mind whirling in far too many.. An infinity of buzzing calculations which roared and tore the remains of his consciousness, eyes darting about, unseeing, all the while. Some piece of him looked at himself in horror.. He was in a battle for his life! One did not have to luxury of...But then he breathed in the scent of Al.. And it really WAS Al..

"WHAT! I missed!" Roared a voice from above.

Ed's flesh fingers gripped the hair of his brother for the first time in five long years, and the sensation blotted out all else. There was no breath against his bare cheek. He felt no pulse on the limp neck with his living fingers... At long last.. it really was AL...

He chuckled.. laughing.. And once he began he could not stop himself. He knew he sounded mad. Absolutely insane.

And maybe that was all that gave the dark wizard freak pause.

"If you are goink to shoot, great idiot freak, den grip your stoopid stick firmly and be quik about it." Ed gasped as he rocked Al like he had long ago during the thunderstorms that always scared them both so much.

He heard several gasps and quite a few snarls, but it brought him no satisfaction. Not at all.

"You dare call ME idiot?"

... Al.. Al would want him to.. Yes, for Al, he would do something for this place before...

"I..? Idiot? I who would conquer death itself? I.. Who have.. "

Ed looked firmly at Voldemort, his most intimidating glare that unnerved even the smug Mustang on that last day in Amestris, and the dark wizard freak stammered..

"I vill tell you all truth because I have most important promise to keep, and not much time left to keep it."

Ed said levelly as moved his living fingers in Al's hair.

"Do not take dis vrong vay freak- I voult very much LOVE to beat you to bloody smear ...especially now for vhat you jus..! But I vowed... I promised..."

Ed took in a shaking breath.

".. I vill neber take part in genocide, even if voult include you... the fukken creep who jus killet my baby brodder..."

In his mind, he thought,

'...And my only real reason to continue living...'

Voldemort narrowed his eyes..

"Is plain what diz.. z-circle does for anyvone who knows Alchemy." Ed stated as though he were speaking to a dim witted child, then looked to the glowing circle still forming about the room. "Dere..and dere... Dose eddies and currents. Dat formula ober dere will call up forces dat are not to be played vith...dey vill only devour and run..."

Ed looked up at the floating Voldemort, who wand was still pointed in his general direction.

"Alchemy is so.. simple... Compared to the vastness and power of the Dark Arts.." Voldemort said hautingly, looked down his chin. "I. Am the center, and will certainly reap..."

Ed chuckled, and shook his head.

"You vill die." Ed interrupted. "Do not know a ting about Alchemy, do you, idiot? I tell you beink a center does not matter vidh dis.. TING. You pullet it from my head but you know noting. It IS powerful. It VILL make a stone. But do not fool yourself to tink YOU vill become immortal vith it, eben floating about at its center. Dat is not, nor has it eber, been its purpose. You, along vith everyone else on dis entire island nation, VILL DIE."

There were gasps.. And many whispers. Ed glimpsed Moody creeping low, and wave to someone with one hand in some sort of signal.

"You.." Voldemort met his gaze.

"Masssster..." Nagini interrupted in his version of Amestrain. "Liesss ..do not lisssten...kill him..kill him.. Kill..."

"Fact.. Back home." Ed closed his eyes for a long moment, revelling in the taste of the word. "...dis ting. Dis formula. Vas made to destroy an overwhelming enemy by a doomed people who had noting vhat so eber left to live for."

Ed said, with a glance back at Envy's voice..

"Ask him.. he caused de whole stoopid var before I vas eben born, jus zo a master of his coult carve a bloody crest into de earth."

He found his view of the great snake blocked by, of all things, a collapsed suit of armor. Not taking the time to wonder about it presence, he looked back up to Voldemort.

".. Of everyone, dat freak in snake-form just might survive.. Not because of vhere he is in damn ting.. But because of vhat he made of. You must know dat much about him, yes?"

"SssShut.. No lissssten to pipssssqueek."

"... unfinished STONES. They are likely depleted now since he can't change. If. If he survives, he'll get dat problem fixed bik time tied together nicely widh his greatest vish: He has eber vanted humans.. Vreal humans.. Dead."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes and darted a hardened gaze at Nagini.

-break-

"Are you alright?" Dumbledore said softly.

The pain from the scar was fading, and Harry felt himself shaking so violently that he could not hold his head up properly.

"Yes." He said to the glittering, caring blue eyes hovering near his face.

His shaking hands found the smoothness of his glasses, but instead of putting them on, he blearily gazed at the multitude of people milling about, at the steep stone tiers that dropped to a pit, at the center of which stood the single ancient, cracked stone arch.

No matter how hard he groped for it in his aching brain, he could not remember coming back to this place.

"He was right there!" Called out a red blur in the shape of a man. "You-Know-Who! He summoned a great serpent.. Then flew out that door..!"

"I know. Williamson, I saw." Cornelius Fudge's voice said. "In the Ministry.. the Department of Mysteries no less..! Here...HERE. Great heavens above - it doesn't seem possible-! Take Dawlish.. Get after him..!"

"Very good sir!"

The two men paused as Dumbledore rose up. Minister Fudge seemed to jump back in surprise, as if noticing him for the first time. Several of the people surrounding him, and when Harry slipped on his glasses he saw they were indeed Aurors, raised their wands defensively.

"If you go down further into the Death Chamber, Cornelius, you will find several escaped Death Eaters bound by an Anti-Disapperation jinx. They are awaiting your decision on what to do with them."

"Dumbledore." Minister Fudge said in amazement. "You.. Here..? What hap.."

"We shall discuss that.."

But what Dumbledore had intended to say was interrupted by a nasty meaty sound of flesh being struck, sometimes with flesh but mostly with something else.

Harry rose to his feet and, as the gathered adults warily parted, he saw a flash golden hair tied back in a rough braid.

Ed. Crouched low and savagely protective over.. a body. As a few of the adults crowded around fell back holding ribs, arms, and other body parts; the others drew back to a more respective distance from the feral blond.

"DON YOU TOUCH HIM!" Ed yelled, veins in his neck bulging from the effort; giving him the impression the roar would have deafened the entire room had Ed's voice been whole instead of the shattered mess it was now.

"W-What is the um er... Muggle.. doing down here..? Isn't he supposed to be in the holding cel.."

"Holding cell..?" Dumbledore thundered. " Whatever for..? What laws did he.."

"Laws. Of Nature." Minister Fudge snarled back. "No Muggle we ever heard of could.."

"Minister.. Forgive the interruption but.. Um. It's dreadfully important." Harry heard hurriedly whispered by breathless Percy Weasley, as if he had just jogged up the stone steps.

"Go on."

The voices went too low for Harry to overhear for much of the exchange, but he did hear the Minister exclaim in a louder whisper, "..from the Veil? Why..this could be the great breakthrough of the age..!"

"From the Veil.?" Harry whispered. "So that means.. Sirius..he's..he's alright..?"

Harry's heart warmed at the hope that it was true, even as it tore at seeing Ed, hands fisting and very likely about to throw punches at the cautiously approaching Tonks.

"Obviously, The boy means a great deal to Edward Elric, Minister." Dumbledore said sternly. "I strongly recommend that ..."

An echoing clap rang out, followed by a crash of something metal. Flickering of blue lightning enveloped a quickly rising column of stone from the pit- Ed and the mystery boy clearly on the top.

So it was that Harry watched as Ed stepped down to the very top of stone tiers amongst the frightened and astonished Aurors. They pointed their wands at him as he calmly turned away, as if they did not concern him in the least. He then bent, carefully cradled the head of the boy against his unfeeling right shoulder, and draped the legs over his left arm.

In a softer tone, Dumbledore added.

"Cornelius, please. I know that you possess great decency. Allow him time to mourn in peace."

The Minister gestured, like a little wave.. The Aurors lowered their wands. A few lit their wand tips as Ed approached.

As his shirt was a ragged memory, his false right arm was painfully apparent with it bolts and plates- As were the many scars that absolutely covered his chest. Harry heard a few of the Aurors gasping in horror, astonishment, and even wonder. He himself managed to pick out a few new ones, which were likely from the great snake's teeth.

Ed face was stone still.. And his eyes.. A somehow chilling molten gold.

Harry immediately stepped forward, arms apart, meaning to help. Ed didn't even look his way.

".. mine to bear, Harry." He heard Ed's voice, just a ghost of it's former self.

Ed then glared at the Minister.

"I am Muggle. Although I am kompletely safe from any harm in your honorable goberment keepink, and find your accommodations for my considerable.." Ed flicked a glance to his right. ".. needs.. more dan adequate, especially for vone who has not broken any Ministry laws..(.as de laws do not in any vay apply to non-magical people like myself)..."

The sparse voice dripped with such sarcasm that Minister Fudge's brows lowered, as if he were personally insulted.

".. I find I vreally must be leaving your Ministry's ..too kint ...hospitality. Vere is de exit for dis fukken place?"

After the Minister's lips pressed together so greatly that they turned white, and he even began to shake ever so slightly.. As if he were boiling with rage within...

"Am I neeting to be fighting you all as vell on my vay out? Huh!" ..Ed added, with a hint of a too fierce snarl.

"Minister.. shall I..uh.. have the honor..?"

Dumbledore said gently as he gestured with an open hand towards Ed. The Minister glared a moment at Ed then looked to Dumbledore and gave a curt nod.

Harry followed at a discreet distance as Dumbledore accompanied Ed to the round room with the blue candle flames. Listened as Dumbledore gave gentle condolences, and precise directions. Heard Ed insist firmly that he was fine, and could go on his own, and watched Dumbledore nodded and backed away respectfully. Gentle. Like it was a funeral.

When Ed passed through the door, ahead of Dumbledore, an uttered something that sounded like a strained, "thanks", Harry grew alarmed. And doubly so when blue lightning flared just as the door eased closed behind him.

He was next to Dumbledore when the Headmaster dove and turned the knob.. Only to find a too smooth stone wall where the room should have been. Twinkling blue eyes met his for a moment.

"Harry, good. I must apologize in advance, however, I will need to ask a great thing of you very soon. Something which you may not be quite ready for."

Then, for the first time, Harry saw Dumbledore first swallow, then frown in deep worry as he glanced to the door that was no longer a door.

"In regard to Mr. Elric, I have made one of my thankfully rare, but very grave errors.. And if we are not very swift in fixing it, I fear he will perish."

-break-

Harry's knees buckled a little when he hit solid ground, and let go of the helmet. Dumbledore kept a hold of it as Snape, too, lifted his hands. Harry wasn't quite sure why the man was accompanying them, but as he trusted Dumbledore, decided to kept silent.

Especially now that they were all in the blue candle room, and the hairs on the back of his head were rising from something eerie and somehow quite powerful. He heard a whispery wisp of a voice chanting..

"35 liters of vater. 20 kilograms of carbon. Four liters of ammonia. One-and-a-half kilograms of lime. 800 grams of phosphorous. 250 grams of salt. 100 grams of niter. 80 grams of sulfur. Seven-and-a-half grams of silicon. 100 grams of saltpeter..."

Harry looked up, unsurprised that the voice was Ed's.

His eyes widened at the many fantastic designs within circles.. One glowing blue on the ground beneath the feet of Ed, at the center of which was the body of the boy in the red trench coat; one high above glimmering on the ceiling, and six others glowing blue in midair. He had never seen the like of even the one that floated between him and his strange friend.

As he watched, Ed reached out to the far one with his mismatched hands, gestured just so, and the whole thing shifted- became ever more complex..

..And still Ed chanted softly.

"Hello Edward." Dumbledore said calmly, as though he were sitting across a table for afternoon tea.

Ed's whole body stiffened, but he moved onward to another design with all deliberateness. He slapped his palms together and repeated the gesture to the next circle.

"Tell me.. What is it you are doing?" Dumbledore said.

"Equivalence." Ed said in his shattered voice. "You vonce asked me how to it is to raise de dead back to life in exchange for me beink able to access your library at dat school. If I am successful, now dat you hab fount me, you vill zee.. a practical.. demonstration."

Dumbledore stepped forward-intending to walk straight through the design apparently. It seemed as though the entire room flashed a brilliant blue, and Harry saw Dumbledore fly backwards, landing hard on his back against the solid wall. Snape immediately drew his wand and rushed over to the man's side.

Harry, dumbfounded, merely gaped as he was torn about what to do. Then heard the clattering of something hitting the floor.. On Ed's side of the barrier.

It was Dumbledore's mighty wand.

"I do not eber change my mind vhen it is made up, Mr. Dumbledore." Ed said, and bent to pick the wand up. "Nor vas I about to let anyone interfere."

Harry, well acquainted with tales of what happened when Ed handled any kind of wand, braced his ears for the certainly loud, however inevitable, explosion. He watched Ed swing his arm back, then forward.. There was a graceful arc.. And Dumbledore deftly plucked the wand from the air.

"Huh. Surprising." Ed quipped with a raised brow, turned back to the circle he had left.

"Harry.. a word?" Dumbledore said softly, as he rose back to his feet.

With a parting glance at Ed, Harry eased over to Dumbledore's side

"Try your very best to reach him as Severus and I attempt to find a way past whatever this barrier is that he has in place."

"H-how do I do that sir?"

"You must get him talking.. About anything. Yes. Talking will likely slow him down.."

"Um..sir?"

"You alone have a certain.. Emotional.. connection that both Severus and I have failed miserably to establish with Mr. Elric. That connection that is so vitally important here ...you hold it in abundance and it alone allowed you to fight off Voldemort's possession earlier... Yes. It may be just enough."

"To do what sir?"

"Stop Edward from doing what he is about to do, Mr. Potter." Snape said coldly. "Though he is strong, the most skilled I have ever seen in this Art, whether this attempt of his succeeds or fails... It will most certainly kill him."

Harry widened his eyes and looked over at Ed. His friend was now savagely biting on the inside of one of his fingers, drawing a sluggish amount of blood.

When he looked back to Dumbledore, he found that both he and Snape had vanished.

Horrified, Harry realized he no idea how he could begin. Ed proceeded to draw on himself.. in blood. It was a familiar design. Harry realized with a start that it perfectly matched his much abused scar, the one on his left forearm.

As he watched- searching his brain for something, anything, to talk about - hoping he wasn't truly alone in the room with Ed, that Snape and Dumbledore were simply invisibly poking about at the construct before him - he couldn't shake the idea that his strange friend looked frightfully deranged at that very moment.

Even more deranged, in a way, than he had been in the Griffindor common room.

Harry's eyes wandered to the boy on the floor. Long dark blond hair, done up in a ponytail, the boy couldn't have been older than nine. A question arose from the fog.

"Um.. Ed...? Can you.. Um tell me who this is?"

Ed paused in his drawing.. a fraction of a moment at least.

"My only family."

"You mean Alphonse?.. This is Alphonse..?" Harry said excitedly. Now he could see the similarities.. They had the same cheekbones..foreheads.. The same build..

"Some big brother I am. I'm the one that's supposed to protect him and look after him and look what happened. Can't do anything right, can I?"

Harry looked at Ed.

"Don't say that. I was the one who.."

Ed looked intently at Harry. Expression unreadable at first. Then..his brows skewed upwards.

"Please..Ed. Come out of.." Harry blurted, hoping he had managed to do what Dumbledore had asked.

"Harry. Listen. Dis is important." Ed said. "He's everything that I'm not. He'll gather all sorts of stray cats if you let him.. He's such a magnet for them..."

Harry's heart sank.

"Don't do this.." He pleaded.

"..Even has a veird nack of befriending freaky serial killers like Moldie shorts. Neber vas good at turning dem from dere vays, doe he tried all de time vith Barry and Scar. Alvays warm and.. And strong. Trusts easily like you do. And he's so forgiving. I wish. I wish I could.. "

"You can.. Just step out of there.."

"..Harry. I have such a huge thing to ask of you. Something really important that I cannot repay."

"W-What...?"

"Look after him? Be something of a brother to him? It's cruel to leave him in dis place all alone.. And he'll be so confused vith dis vorld of yours.. His Alchemy may not eben vork and there's.."

"Don't talk like that..."

Ed's smile is small and sad, and he turned to squat down. He cupped Al's cheek with his living hand.

"Talk to me, Ed. Tell me what.."

"Goink back the way I came. Harry. No point in not doink it now dat Al is here. And dead. He's still varm. Likely vaiting at de door. Don't know where I'll end up this time...maybe back home.. Maybe somplace else.."

"Ed. No. Don't. I can't.."

Ed stood up straight and took a deep breath. As Ed slapped his palms together.

"Stop!" Harry screamed as loud as he could. "I can't! I can't lose another friend..!"

Harry would have yelled more, anything more to get Ed to stop..

But the sudden sound of a gasping intake of air.. Loud - like a drowning man in much too much water - coming from the boy laying in the center..

..From Alphonse, Harry corrected himself...

That alone made Ed change his mind.

-break-

Perhaps an epilogue when I'm in the mood..? 


	76. epilogue

Epilogue -break-

The black haired youth released the cloth of Dumbledore's outstretched sleeve and crinkled up his face, making certain it was still able to move as he strongly suspected he had just been drawn through a rather long and thin rubber tube. Then, he pushed up the round glasses on his nose and looked about.

The two of them stood before the gate of a modest town house, make of mostly brick. Harry eyed the darkened street warily, as there were many cars parked along the curb, a fact which definitely made this place they were visiting a Muggle neighborhood, but he noticed no people were to be seen gazing out the many windows that surrounded them.

"Sir?" Harry said. "Where are.."

"A place very near Little Whinging.. we.."

A car with big wheels, roughly the size of an over fed house cat, with a rather long and rather crooked metallic antenna, whined loudly as it bounced along the sidewalk. It rammed clumsily into the brick wall before them, and stopped moving for several moments. Then, it jerked, backed up a bit, then made a wide berth of them both as it suddenly zoomed on past the pair and around the wall.

Not a soul trotted out to see it along as Harry had seen countless times with other such Muggle devices in the public park.

"Ah. They'll know we've arrived." Dumbledore said smoothly, and opened the gate before him with his left.

Harry followed, glancing briefly at the name printed clearly on the mailbox: It said 'Eilrech'. He furrowed his brows.

Soon, he sat on the couch, remembering well all the many questions he wanted to ask as he looked at the boy before him: Alphonse, officially the second Boy-Who-Lived in the Wizarding World, was gently poking at a softly purring fuzzy bundle located in his inside coat pocket at the moment.

"Um.. Hi, um. Alphonse.?"

The boy looked up and smiled politely; golden eyes so like Ed's: They held the same great age to them, as if they had seen far too much. Yet unlike Ed's piercing, intimidating gaze; they held a deep kindness that spoke of a gentle strength.

"Hiello. Jou...um arh Harry, yezs?" Alphonse said, appearing to struggle with working his tongue and lips just so, resulting in an accent so thick that Harry really only caught his own name.

"Yes." Harry replied, and smiled back.

"...however he managed to come back from the curse..." Dumbledore's voice wafted out from the kitchen.

"...Is none of their concern." He heard Ed say firmly in much improved English as he came from the kitchen bearing a tray laden with five mugs and piled high with much munchies. "However, if they persist, and I am sure they will, either, one: I will beat them all bloodie or, two: I will insist my brother is still in recovery, and as such, is a deeply private matter."

Ed gently set the tray on the table, and immediately looked first at Alphonse, gave the barest of smiles, that vanished as soon as he looked to Harry, to whom he gave a small nod.

"Oy. Yes... Bravo. So your plan is that you alone will handle the wizarding reporters...?" Tonks said.

"Hate babysitters- I want nothing to do with that damnable Ministry of yours, but since this thing with Moldie shorts happened- they keep sending! Amateurs! You are at the least tolerable, Tonks.. But de odhers..? Elite Aurors? Really? We. Are travelers by nature, and vill go from this place, mabbe in a week or two. Loosing them will be simple thing."

"Um speaking of..." Tonks began. "You know Moody and the others will want to know. You know how Moody is right? He'll insist Al here is an Infernus of all things and.."

"Is a big world. I have no wish to be apart of this stupid war of yours, so seeing DAT 'Al' anytime soon is unlikely. "

"You may not have that luxury.." Dumbledore said. "Tom is getting bolder.. You know you still hold the key to what he wants, and, wherever you go, I suspect he will stop at nothing to seek you out. At least at my school you both will be.."

Ed's hair hid his face as he froze and interrupted.

"Hey old fart. Tell to me wvhat dat school motto of yours is again?"

"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus" Dumbledore said. "At least consider my offer..? Alchemy such as yours deserves to be passed on to the next wizarding generation..."

Alphonse's brows creased, and he blinked quickly as he carefully worked his mouth and tongue.

"Nebbehr tikkel uh zleeppink drrakkon." Then said something Harry didn't quite catch.

Ed moved, gave that barest of smiles again, somewhere between a smirk and a frown, and said something in his native tongue. Alphonse replied with the same sort of difficulty in the same language as he reached for a mug, then creased his brows again, carefully arranging his fingers in a rather clumsy matter.

Ed sighed, and said a single word. Alphonse nodded, and with great, almost exaggerated care, lifted the mug.

He turned his gaze back to Alphonse, sitting beside him.

"He trusts you. Too much, I tink. He wants me to speak for him, to be clear for you."

"He.. Uh...speaks quite.." Dumbledore started,

"No neet to be kind, old fart." Ed looked to Dumbledore. "I don like it, but Al says he wants you all to know." Ed reached for a mug himself with his right. Darting glances at each of them. "Al believes he.. we.. owe dat much as payment for you all for protecting me as best you coult in dat... vroom."

Ed took a large gulp of his steaming coffee. Harry winced just watching, certain Ed HAD to have scalded his throat. Wait..

"Truth is. De curse.. It uh. He vas disconnected completely. He is now having to relearn how to use his own body. He says he is used to it.. He's.. Um. How to put this into words.. Um."

Ed looked at Al, and chewed his lower lip as his brows lowered in thought. He irritatedly batted away a rather large flying insect buzzing by with his left, looked at their faces and continued.

"He is. Loosely bound to his body. I guess. De curse basically made him get lost for little vhile."

Harry skewed up his face in confusion, and he saw Dumbledore and Tonks look equally confused.

"He..he has told me he can put himself into objects for short periods by splitting his soul somehow. At least when his Alchemy was working he did. He hasn't tried it since arriving, and. I vill not vrisk letting him do so until he is vell."

Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"He.." Dumbledore began delicately. "He saw the battle..?"

"He saw most everting. vOnce Sirius fell trew dat ting on the dais anyvay..."

"You mean that um. stone arch.. Um..The Veil?" Tonks prompted.

Ed wrinkled his nose as he interrupted.

"Dat ting. Vas no stone archway. Vas disgusting to look at.. Like looking at maggots feeding on flesh gone bad.." He gulped down another swig of coffee. "Something.. A bridge I guess, likely formed from the spells tossed at dhat thing on the dais to attach to.. a someting else.. Back home."

"Is.. Is Sirius.." Harry began hopefully. "Is he alive..?"

Ed looked hard at Harry.

"Al is trained field medic. He treated him as best he coult. If all vent vell, Sirius is at State Hospital by now."

"Knew it ..knew it." Harry said, breathing his relief, "..so all we have to do to get him back is.."

"If. He lives. He is trapped." Ed corrected, and looked down into his coffee. "Like me. And now Al. Just like for us here... My home is vast prison for him now."

Harry narrowed his eyes.

"You.. You have to be wrong."

Ed looked at Harry steadily, eyebrows skewing upwards.

"You have to be lying. I will see Sirius again.."

"Harry. Life flows in only vone direction."

"You lie.. I was there. You were about to .."

"Harry.."

"YOU WERE BLOODY SURE YOU WERE GOING TO BRING YOUR DEAD BROTHER BACK AND YOU BLOODY WELL KNOW IT..!"

Ed's mug shattered beneath his hand. Ed frowned and looked down at the floor as his hands fisted up tight. Alphonse reached out a hand, and lightly placed it on Ed's remaining, only living, forearm. After a few minutes of tense silence, Ed abruptly stood and, by the slamming Harry heard, completely left by the kitchen door.

When Dumbledore and Tonks both rose to go after him, Alphonse held up his hand and got their attention by shaking his head.

"NnNo." Al said. "Ice.. Ice mm time.."

"You mean HE needs cooling off..?" Tonks scoffed as she folded her arms and looked at Harry.

Al fisted his hands, and lowered his brows. He pointed at Harry, and made another fist as he let out a puff of breath with a frown. Alphonse then looked to Dumbledore, and carefully, painfully slow, said something that Harry didn't understand. Dumbledore nodded.

"Harry, he has just asked me to translate, as Edward had informed him that I happen speak their language."

Alphonse then began to speak.

"Brother... (He means Edward)..

He has told me of your laws.. About the unforgivable curses. One of which I understand hit me. Here, you only go to a prison if you use them on another human being."

"Only? I hardly think Azkaban's.." Tonks interrupted.

"Shh." Harry said.

"Back home, there are similar laws, only the penalty for breaking them is death. (Oh my, how harsh.)

First: never oppose the State. The second: never make gold.  
The third: never make humans."

Dumbledore then asked something. Alphonse replied.

"Making humans is the same as bringing the dead back to life, apparently..."

Dumbledore said,

"and... Of all the State laws, only the third is actually a sort of kindness, as Alchemists are usually quite maimed by the attempt. In all of his travels about his home, searching for some sign of Edward, Alphonse has met and known only a total of five Alchemists who have survived actually performing such a feat. He says..

"..He says, Brother and I both are two of those Alchemists."

Alphonse seemed to shrink right before Harry's eyes, going suddenly quiet and folding up his arms, stopping only when a small mew of protest sounded in his pocket.

"Brother would say it's equivalent that we are here.. That it is a fair trade for him to be trapped in this place for what we've done.

"We both knew it was wrong, even though we were young. We both.. We both paid heavily. We.. We tried to bring back our mother. We only wanted to see her smile once more, and we.. How awful. We made a horrible monster instead. One with her face.

"Brother. He lost his left leg in that attempt. Then, suffering from the blood loss and pain of that, had the presence of mind to sacrifice his entire right arm to... Alphonse.. Shh shh..it's quite alright... Shh.. He says...to save me."

Dumbledore said something, and Alphonse shook his head. And spoke some more. Dumbledore's face went a bit ashy, and Harry got the sense that he chose not to share the bulk of what he heard.

"He.. He always said it was because of a stupid mistake. But. But Sirius.. " Harry began lamely..

"It.. It is not a ever thing to be done lightly." Dumbledore said with compassion, and in another, more saddened tone. "I'm sorry, Harry. I truly am. However, I judge that for any of us to expect Edward to make such an effort in retrieving Sirius is.. Is imposing far too much."

"Then have him teach me.." Harry blurted. "I'll..I'll do it. I'll bring Sirius ...!"

"NnNo." The golden eyed boy interrupted firmly, and shook his head sadly. "Nnno. Neeber."

Harry glared at the boy, and tightened his fists.

"Jou... Vvil onlzy. MMmake p-pain. Mmuch. Mmuch vvorzse. Live. Be.. Be hh-hole."

Harry scrunched his face as he looked into those kind.. strong.. golden eyes.

"Be whole... He said." Harry whispered to the moving image of the second "Boy-Who-Lived" wizarding newspaper, sent by Hermione by owl that morning.

The headline read:

Mystery Revealed: Second "Boy-Who-Lived", a male "Veil-a", Tells All..! Shares Heartbreaking Story and Lost Secrets of Reviving the Dead. Bonus - Harry Potter, the first "Boy-Who-Lived", Shared Bond With Notorious Murderer, Sirius Black.

Written by Rita Skeeter.

Wherever he was now, most likely somewhere on the Muggle side of things, Harry sincerely hoped that Ed would never see it. With a sinking heart, Harry wished he hadn't already. 


	77. Author's final note

~~llothcat here

I hope that the moderators on this site will be kind and allow me to keep this note up.

This here story has inspired many new fan fiction authors to try their hand at this challenging genre. I am in awe of what has been produced since I finished this piece, and there are still quite a few tales that I follow when I am procrastinating. (From writing other fan fics, from drawing, painting, chores, what have you.) I am quite aware of its many flaws, and like the above mentioned authors, strive to not repeat the mistakes in my future writings.

Certain parts are cringe worthy... I mean I wrote this on successive grave shifts, for over a year, under the heavy influence of too much soda, strong coffee, and sugary junk food. Add to that, this piece is something of a symbol for me, as it is the first piece of fiction writing I have ever done where the dang characters in my head actually argued with me. (I blame the coffee. It was an awful sludge, but it did the trick).

I was locked out of this account for a long time, due to an upgrade that went wrong.

I have a new account now, under my real name, and that means something of a fresh start. Which brings me back to the reason for me posting this note:

I am considering taking it down, and the only thing that keeps me from doing so is the fact that I have went and posted it in an archive. Warts and all.

I think this piece of mine has served its purpose, and good writing has prevailed here in this little corner of .


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